


From Mist and Ashes

by Azuregold



Series: Mistyverse [5]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Friendship, Gen, Ghosts, Power Recovery, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-24 21:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 148,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1618241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuregold/pseuds/Azuregold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rebuilding a legend can be as hard as creating one. But there will definitely be adventures along the way, and that's good enough for Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats. The ghost should help keep things interesting, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assessments

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this is part 5 of a series. I highly suggest you read the other parts first if you want to know what's going on!

Breakfast on the _Thousand Sunny_ was always an exciting time, matched only by lunch and dinner—or possibly the odd enemy attack. Bits of rice, meat, and the occasional roll flew through the air as each crew member fought to claim their share. It wasn't as hard as it had once been—their captain's arms could no longer stretch across the entire table, nor was his appetite quite so limitless, but Luffy still did an admirable job of clearing as much of the food as he _could_ reach.

At the far end of the table, a translucent figure watched the proceedings wistfully. "Looks good," Zoro muttered to himself. What he wouldn't give for a drink right now…

"Jealous?" Zoro looked up to see Sanji grinning down at him. "And it tastes as good as it looks."

"Probably tastes like shit, then." The swordsman scowled and looked away.

A vein twitched on Sanji's forehead, but amusement was still in his voice as he leaned closer. "You're not fooling me that easily. I heard what you said just now, Marimo. You miss my cooking, admit it. You'd do anything for just one bite of my lovingly-prepared meal—"

"Like hell," Zoro growled. "It's just a leftover habit. After three centuries of not eating, even your food starts to look almost edible."

There was a creaking noise as Sanji's hand tightened on his spatula. "Care to repeat that, shitty swordsman?"

Zoro rose, smirking, to face him. "I said that it's a good thing I don't need to eat anymore. At least I don't have to pretend to enjoy your cooking."

"Why you—" Sanji launched a furious kick at Zoro, who watched the chef with a bored expression as the attack swept cleanly through his intangible body. "Stop _doing that_ , damn you!" Sanji sent another round of fruitless kicks at the ghost.

"Stop what?" Zoro asked. "I'm not doing anything. It takes effort to touch things. Why should I spend that effort on you, love-cook?"

Sanji let out a wordless cry of frustration. "Why are you even here, shithead?" He glared at Zoro. "As you oh-so-helpfully pointed out, you don't need to eat! Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch? Get the hell out!"

"What, scared something might sneak up on you?" Zoro yawned, standing there just long enough to make a point that he was leaving because he chose to and not because Sanji had told him to, then vanished from the galley.

"Fucking shitty ghost," Sanji grumbled, flopping into a seat and taking a deep drag on his cigarette.

"I'm still not used to that," Usopp said with a shiver, staring at the spot where Zoro had been standing.

"I know what you mean," Nami said, stirring her coffee. "It still bothers me sometimes, even after six months. So much is still the same…" She stared into her drink. "Sometimes, when we're sailing peacefully, it feels just like it did before. I start forgetting about what came after, our new lives, and all of it…and then Zoro will walk through the wall, or appear out of nowhere, and everything comes crashing back."

"Yeah," Franky said. "Or we'll be fighting guys we coulda handled no problem before, and we only realize we're in over our head when Zoro steps in to rescue us." He lifted his glass of cola, draining it in one long gulp and slamming it back onto the table. "Man, this sucks! I miss my old _super-_ body."

"I'm glad he does, though," Chopper said. "You guys get too reckless sometimes. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Anyway, it can't be helped," Robin said calmly. "It will take time to regain our former strength. Locating four specific devil fruits or even just recovering speed and muscle…they won't happen overnight. We've already made great progress since we've returned to this world."

"You're absolutely right, Robin-chwan!" Sanji said, leaping up to offer her another coffee. "But I still wish it'd go faster," he muttered, once he'd returned to his seat. "I can't stand depending on the shitty marimo for safety."

The rest of the crew shared the sentiment, if not the chef's feelings toward the ghostly swordsman. It was an undeniable fact that Zoro was currently the strongest member of the crew by far, and likely would be for some time to come. Their new bodies, while generally fit, didn't have the years of training from their previous lives. Luffy and Sanji had some Haki control back, but it was weak and still unreliable. None of the devil fruit users had their powers restored. Franky had been spending increasing amounts of time in his workshop, but there had been no signs of cyborg modifications so far, and all he would tell them was that whatever he was working on wasn't ready yet. Between Chopper's ministrations and regular energy transfers from Zoro, Luffy's health was considerably better than it had been when they'd first returned; but "better" wasn't the same as "robustly healthy", and he still tired easily.

Zoro, on the other hand, while occasionally having difficulties maintaining a solid hold on his swords in the heat of battle, had lost none of his ability since becoming a spirit—in fact, having spent nearly four hundred years alone with nothing to do but train, he was stronger than ever. In response, Sanji was training twice as hard as anyone else on the crew, determined to regain his old skills so he could stop being protected and get back to _doing_ the protecting—particularly of the ladies, of course.

"Not to worry, Sanji-san," Brook said comfortingly. "I'm sure we'll be able to pull our weight soon—even though I now have more weight to pull, Yohohoh-AAAHH!" The musician's laugh rose sharply to a scream as without warning, Zoro popped back into the room directly across from him. Luffy continued eating, unconcerned, and Robin merely blinked, but the rest of the crew jumped, shrieked, or fell backwards, startled by the swordsman's sudden appearance.

"Zoro-san…please don't do that..." said Brook weakly, clutching at his chest.

"What have we told you about sudden appearances?" Nami yelled. "If you can't bring yourself to use the door like a normal person, at least teleport to the side of the room, don't just pop up right on top of us like that!"

"I should kill you for scaring Nami-san, you shitty bastard," Sanji snarled.

Zoro snorted. "Bit late for that, cook." He turned to his captain. "There's a ship approaching, Luffy."

Luffy looked up, breakfast momentarily forgotten. "What kind of ship?"

"Looks like a pirate ship," Zoro said. "It's too far away to be sure of the mark, but it's definitely a Jolly Roger."

"Pirates." Sanji ground out his cigarette. "Probably means a fight, then."

"We could just get out of here," Nami suggested. "Franky, we have enough cola for a Coup de Burst, don't we?"

"Yeah, we're all stocked and good to go!" Franky said confidently. "We can disappear before they get anywhere near us."

"Well, Luffy?" Usopp asked hopefully. "Let's just leave for now, huh? We're getting close to the next island, remember, and we heard there might be a devil fruit there, too! We don't need to be getting involved in anything dangerous right now!"

Luffy was silent for a moment, eyes shadowed by his hat. "No," he said at last. He looked at his crew. "I don't want to run away anymore. We'll never be as strong as we were before if we keep running from danger."

"We'll never get to be that strong if we fight someone we're not ready for and get killed, either!" Usopp whined, but everyone knew there was no use arguing with Luffy when he had made up his mind like this.

"We keep going," Luffy said firmly. "If they catch up to us, we'll deal with it then." He smiled. "Besides, maybe they're nice guys!"

"I doubt it…" Nami said with a sigh as Luffy headed for the door, chuckling. "Well, come on, then. We'd better be as ready as we can."

Sanji grinned hungrily as the crew left the galley. "Perfect," he said, pulling out a new cigarette and lighting up. "I could use a good workout."

"Be careful, Sanji!" Chopper said worriedly. "I know you're getting stronger, but…but…"

"Yeah, I know," the chef said, pausing to rest a hand on the reindeer's head. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid. Just stay here and relax."

Chopper didn't look happy, but stuck in Brain Point form, he was even more useless in a fight than Luffy, and the crew had decided soon after they'd returned that the little doctor would stay out of the way during any conflicts until he regained his powers. They needed Chopper to remain unhurt; the rest of the crew was far more likely to sustain injury these days, and having medical attention available after the battle was critical.

The crew lined up on deck as the ship approached. It was definitely a pirate ship, though rather small and shoddily built. The flag featured an image of a round green fruit carved to resemble a grinning face, with two black knives crossed behind. The Straw Hats eyed the flag, considering.

"…Melon Pirates?" suggested Usopp at last.

"What a sad-looking ship," said Franky. "I'll bet she's never seen a decent shipwright in her life."

" _This_ is the big emergency?" Sanji grumbled.

"Should be about right for you," Zoro said with a grin. "I think I'll sit this one out. You kids have fun."

Sanji bit down hard on his cigarette. "Sure," he ground out between clenched teeth. "You just stay back and let us handle it, gramps."

Zoro glared. "Call me that one more time, cook—"

"Well, let's not be too quick to judge these people on appearances." Robin spoke up. "If we underestimate them, we may be cut to pieces."

"T-that's not funny, Robin." Usopp gripped his kabuto nervously.

"It doesn't matter what they look like," Luffy said. "We'll see if they're friendly, and if not, we'll take care of them."

"Right," Franky said. The shipwright was carrying a small shoulder cannon, though he kept it lowered for the moment.

Zoro placed a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "I'll be here if you need me," he said. Luffy nodded, and Zoro faded from sight.

The ship caught up to them a minute later. Up close, it looked even worse—clearly something that had been cobbled together by amateurs just starting out. The sails were patched; the planks were uneven and stuck out at weird angles.

"It's a miracle the thing hasn't sprung a leak," muttered Franky.

The ship's crew was on deck. They seemed to be armed mainly with swords, though one or two sported battered guns. Every one of them fixed the Straw Hats with identical glares as they drew near the Sunny.

"Well, they look friendly," Brook said, keeping a firm grip on his sword.

Luffy was undeterred. "Hey!" he called enthusiastically. "What's up, guys?"

One of the pirates stepped forward. He was a hulking giant of a man, with long, scraggly blond hair capped by a green helmet that strongly resembled a melon. He brandished his sword at the Straw Hats. "Prepare to die, insolent fools!" he shouted.

"Seriously?" Nami asked. "He couldn't come up with a better opening line than that?"

"Why?" Luffy called back to the man. "We haven't done anything to you!"

The man's eyes narrowed. "How dare you use that flag?" He swung his sword up to point at the Straw Hats' Jolly Roger, fluttering proudly in the wind. "That mark belongs to Monkey D. Luffy, the second king of the pirates! You insult his name by trying to claim it as your own, and we will make you pay for your impudence!"

"Oh, not this again," Usopp moaned.

Nami sighed. "How many times does this make now? See, Luffy, this kind of thing will just keep happening! We really should just put the flag away until we're stronger—"

"No," Luffy said. He glared back at the other captain. "This is our flag! And we'll defend it!"

"Cheeky brat." With a mighty leap, the man landed on the Sunny's deck, brandishing his sword at Luffy. "You're dead!"

"Oi, shithead," Sanji said. "Get the hell off our ship."

"Or we'll get you off," Franky said, raising his cannon to aim at the pirate.

The man glared at the weapon contemptuously. "You expect me to be scared of your little toys? If you're so full of yourselves that you'd use _that_ flag, you should have something more impressive to back it up!"

"Well, we could call up the resident ghost," Sanji said, raising his leg, "but he tends to get grumpy when we bother him for things we're perfectly capable of handling ourselves."

The fight was brief. The man's sword skills were not much more impressive than his ship, and a few quick kicks sent him sailing back to crash among his men, bruised and bleeding, with his melon helmet smashed to bits.

The rest of his crew roared in outrage and surged forward onto the Sunny. "Looks like it's party time," Franky said, grinning.

The Straw Hats set to with relish. The Melon Pirates had a lot of men for such a small ship, but they were just as weak as their captain had been, and Luffy and his crew had no real difficulty finishing them off.

* * *

"Is it over?" Chopper asked a few minutes later, peeking cautiously out from the galley.

"Yeah." Sanji grinned at him. "No problem. We kicked their asses."

"Awesome, Sanji!" Chopper squeaked, running down onto the deck. "You're amazing!"

"Yeah," said a voice, and Zoro reappeared in the middle of the deck, smirking. "Congratulations on being able to handle small fry, Swirlybrat. Bet you're real proud."

Sanji's good mood evaporated in an instant. "Shut the hell up, shitty ghost," he growled, and sent a kick flying straight through Zoro's head. It may have been a useless gesture, but seeing that smug look disrupted even for an instant made him feel better, somehow.

"Did anyone get hurt?" Chopper asked anxiously.

"Not a scratch!" said Usopp proudly. Then he glanced at his captain. "Hey, you okay, Luffy?"

Luffy was leaning on the rail. He seemed uninjured, but was breathing a bit hard. "I'm fine," he said.

Chopper rushed over to him. "You can't push yourself so hard in fights yet," he said worriedly. "Come on, I need to make sure you're okay." He began tugging Luffy towards the stairs.

"I'm just a little tired, that's all. I'm fine, really—"

"Don't argue with your doctor! Get in here!"

With a sigh, Luffy gave up and allowed himself to be led to the infirmary.

"He's okay…right?" Usopp asked.

"I'm sure he's fine," Nami said. "He really has gotten much better since we returned. He just needs to learn not to take things too fast." She headed for the stairs. "I guess I should see if Chopper needs help with anything."

"Man," Franky said as the rest of the crew headed inside as well, "it's nice to be famous, but I could do without all these pirates throwing themselves at us out of wounded pride."

"Yeah," Usopp agreed. "But I guess we're stuck with it, huh? You heard Luffy; he'll never hide our flag. We're lucky we were able to convince him not to go shouting the whole story to everyone we meet."

"All we have to do is get stronger," Sanji said, heading into the galley. "Then it won't matter who comes after us or for what."

"And with any luck, the next island will help us do just that!" Brook said. "If there is a devil fruit there, and if it is one of the four we seek—"

"That's a lot of 'ifs'," Usopp said.

"We must think positively, Usopp-san! Why shouldn't it be one of ours?"

"Okay, fine," the sniper said with a sigh. "I just hope we can get it without too much trouble."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've written several chapters ahead; I want to keep that lead, so I'll post a new chapter every time I finish another. My [tumblr](http://azuregold.tumblr.com/) might give you some idea of when that might be. (Mostly it's there because I find it helpful to talk about what I'm writing, so I make a lot of random posts about whatever part I'm working on.)
> 
> I'm going to tell you now that I don't plan on going into too much detail about everything that's changed in the last 400 years—what the political powers are, how technology has advanced, etc. That doesn't mean there won't be _any_ of that, but I'm not interested in trying to reinvent the entire OP world, and that's not what this story's about, anyway. One thing I will say is that the World Government is no longer around, because I can't really picture One Piece ending with it still existing, at least in its current form.


	2. Heaven and Hell

"I'm not coming."

"C'mon, Zoro, please? You never go with us to islands anymore!"

Zoro shot his captain an exasperated look. "Because I'd attract too much attention! Flag aside, weren't we trying to keep a _low_ profile for now?"

"You know perfectly well that there are ways around that," Nami said. "Look, there's supposed to be a devil fruit on this island, and I'm sure we won't be the only ones after it. We might be attacked! Don't you want to keep Luffy safe? You're coming with us and that's final."

"Tch, fine," Zoro gave in with a sigh. "I'll come. But I'm not wearing that ridiculous getup."

"It's not ridiculous, it's very fashionable!" Nami retorted. "And of course you're wearing it! You can hardly go wandering around looking like that, and I'm not having you hovering around us invisibly, it's creepy!"

"Like I care," Zoro said. He disappeared a moment later, however, and soon the Straw Hats could hear grumbling and the banging of Zoro's locker as he searched for the clothes.

* * *

Half an hour later, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Chopper, Usopp, and Robin left the Sunny and headed into town. The day was warm, and one or two people looked at Zoro oddly, but they shrugged it off; there would have been far more staring if his ghostly appearance had been visible.

Every inch of Zoro's body was covered. He wore a hooded coat made of black leather over a dark green shirt and pants, the coat's hem long enough to brush against the ankles of his boots. Subtle embroidery along the coat's shoulders and skirt suggested a wave pattern. On his hands were black leather gloves, and his face was obscured by a scarf and a full-face mask, in case anyone got close enough to see under the hood. Several belts and chains accented the outfit, jingling as he walked, and his swords hung from a sash at his waist.

"This is stifling," Zoro complained. "Do you have any idea how annoying it is to keep all this crap touching me for so long?"

"Deal with it," Nami said. "It's bad enough you can't stay solid longer than a couple of hours; I don't need to hear your whining when I'm trying to work with a time limit."

"Tch." Zoro adjusted his sash. "So? Where do we start looking for this thing?"

"Hmm," Nami glanced down the street. "How about there?" She pointed at a squat building with a sign proclaiming it to be a bar. "I'm sure someone in there will have heard something about it."

"I bet they have meat, too." Luffy said. "Let's go!"

* * *

"This is torture," Zoro said, staring moodily at his glass. Bad enough the witch had made them come in here—was it really necessary for him to order rum he couldn't drink just to blend in? It looked so good, too...even though it was the cheapest brand in the bar.

"Hang in there, Zoro," said Chopper, comfortingly. "I'm sure we'll be able to leave soon."

"Yeah," Usopp said. "Nami's great at getting people to talk."

"They have to know something to be able to tell her about it." Zoro lifted the glass, pretending to drink as his eyes scanned the room. The dark liquid brushed against his mask, and he fought the urge to remove it, just for a moment, and attempt a swallow. He'd tried it before, multiple times. It never ended well, but he wouldn't have cared—if only he had been able to taste it. Hell, at this point he'd settle for smelling it, though that might just make things worse.

"We heard about this fruit on another island," Robin said. "If the rumor has spread that far, I'm certain the locals will know all about it."

"And if these people don't," Luffy said around a mouthful of meat, "we can just go somewhere else to ask."

"Especially if they serve meat?" Usopp asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Luffy grinned back. "Especially then."

And there would be alcohol too, no doubt. Zoro snorted as he replaced his glass on the table. It was almost ironic, really; spending the day visiting the all the local bars would have been the perfect start to a vacation, once upon a time. But his friends were right; it was quite likely someone here had a lead on the fruit. And Nami was the perfect person to charm, bribe, and/or threaten it out of them.

As if on cue, Nami came sauntering back to the table, a smile on her face. "Got it," she said. "The fruit is with a man living just outside town. Apparently he needs money for something and is trying to sell it."

"Good," Zoro said, standing in relief. "Let's go."

"An old man has it? Living by himself?" Usopp looked apprehensive. "He must be pretty scary for an old guy, if no one's stolen it yet."

"He certainly wouldn't be the first formidable senior we've met." Robin got to her feet.

Luffy looked up from his plate. "Are we leaving already?"

"We didn't come here to eat, Luffy," Nami reminded him. She snatched Zoro's glass and drained it in one long pull. "Come on."

Luffy hurriedly tried to finish his meal, eventually grabbing the last two pieces and carrying them with him as they left the bar.

"'Blend in' my ass," Zoro said. "You were planning to drink that from the start, weren't you?"

"I paid for it, I wasn't going to waste it," Nami said. "You really weren't missing much, though—get something with a little quality next time, will you? Now follow me and don't get lost."

"You're the one who ordered it!" he protested, but Nami was already walking away. Zoro shot her a glare—unnoticed beneath his hood and mask—and the six Straw Hats started down the street toward the east edge of the town.

It took less than a minute for Zoro to notice they were being followed. A few dark forms slipped around corners and between the other passers-by. Bandits, he guessed, judging by their appearance. The men did not look especially fearsome, but Zoro knew better than to assume this group would be as weak as the Melon Pirates had been. Quietly, he alerted the others. They decided to try to lose their pursuers, or at least lead them to a less busy area in case of a fight. Turning down a side street, they abruptly found the path ahead blocked by several more men, all with the same scruffy, disreputable look as those following behind. In seconds, they were boxed in, with more men joining the enemy ranks by the second.

"Damn, guess we've got no choice now but to fight," Usopp said, pulling out his kabuto.

"Chopper, Luffy, stay behind us." Since their return, Nami had had to adjust to being one of the main fighters. As her abilities depended more on her weapon and knowledge of weather than physical strength, she was not as affected by the limitations of her new body. She raised her Clima-Tact and stood protectively in front of the captain and doctor.

"I can fight, Nami!" Luffy protested.

"That doesn't mean you go charging in like you used to!" she said. "Stay behind me and keep an eye on Chopper."

Luffy didn't look happy, but he positioned himself between Chopper and the men nearest to them, raising his fists.

Zoro drew Shūsui and stepped towards the group that had blocked them from behind. "You get one warning. Leave now."

A tall, seedy-looking man with shaggy brown hair stepped forward. "That's mighty kind of you, but I think we'll stick around. See, we heard you asking about that fruit back there, and it just so happens we're after it too. Big score like that, who could pass it up? And we don't need some ragtag bunch of pirates getting in the way." He drew a sword from his belt and approached Zoro, grinning evilly.

"Oh, wonderful," Usopp said. "Nami, you gotta be more careful talking about this stuff!"

"Shut up and get ready!" she snapped.

The bandits charged. Zoro met the tall man's blade with his own and knew within a few seconds that despite his appearance, the man had skill. Not enough to truly challenge the world's greatest swordsman, of course, but after nearly four centuries of training without a sparring partner, Zoro had a newfound appreciation for even the most modest of talents. He decided to enjoy himself for a bit.

Behind him, he heard the crackle of Nami's electricity, the twang of Usopp's weapon, the shouts and yells from his friends as they attacked. He found himself grinning. It felt so _good_ to fight with them again. Zoro moved his sword gracefully through the air, blocking and slashing as his opponent attempted to penetrate his defense. Occasionally another bandit from the group would try to sneak past him, only to be stopped by a lightning fast attack. As always, part of his mind stayed focused on remaining tangible; it would not do to lose his sword—and clothes—midway through the fight.

Zoro's opponent slowly seemed to be realizing exactly how outclassed he was. His attacks became faster and more desperate, and as his confidence disappeared, Zoro barely had to put any effort into blocking him.

He took the time for a quick glance at the others. They seemed mostly to be holding their own, but with some difficulty—these bandits were indeed far stronger than the pirates of the other day. Nami was in the lead, attacking the second group that had cut them off ahead. Usopp was backing her up from a distance, while Robin and Luffy were dealing with any that got through to them.

Finally, Zoro grew bored with the fight. Leaping back, he sent a flying slash at his opponent that shattered the man's sword and sent him crashing back to the end of the street, where he lay unmoving. Satisfied, Zoro sheathed his sword. He scanned the street ahead of him for stragglers, but it seemed the only bandits left were in the group behind him.

A shrill scream made him whip around. As the fight had continued, the Straw Hats had been drawn away from each other somewhat. Luffy was trying to take on three at once, while in a corner of the alley, a black-haired bandit had Chopper trapped. The man raised his arm to strike, a long knife shining bright in the sunlight, and Zoro moved. He managed to keep hold of his tangibility—barely—and slid between bandit and reindeer just in time to prevent the knife from hitting the little doctor.

A moment later, a sharp pain told him that while he had stopped the blade, he had not been able to fully raise his sword in time. He looked down to see the knife sunk to the hilt in his side. A fresh wave of agony washed over him, and Zoro staggered. _Why is it hurting like this?_ he thought in confusion. _Physical weapons shouldn't affect me like this!_ Shūsui slipped in his hand and he frantically grasped for the mental control needed to stabilize his form.

The bandit grinned, yanking the knife from Zoro's side with a vicious twist. He raised the weapon for another attack, but with a roar, Zoro rammed his sword forward, cutting the man down. His movements felt sluggish, his body slow to respond through the haze of pain. He cursed himself for his weakness. He'd fought through worse pain than this, sustained injuries far more serious than a simple knife wound. Had three centuries free of such sensations really dulled him this much?

Gritting his teeth, he kicked the slumping bandit away and, drawing Kitetsu, charged at the remaining enemies. It was time to end this.

* * *

Luffy ducked under the bandit's club and slammed a fist into the man's gut. He had been testing his control of Observation Haki today and it was working fairly well—he hadn't suffered anything worse than a few bruises and a small cut to his arm. His punches, however, were less satisfactory, and the shaking in his limbs was telling him he couldn't keep this up much longer. The bandit staggered back, gasping for breath, but seemed to have taken no permanent damage, and was moving toward him again a few seconds later.

Luffy tensed, preparing to dodge, but before the bandit could reach him, a green-and-black blur came barreling in, catching the man in the side and sending him flying into the wall. He collapsed in a pile of rubble and did not stir.

"Thanks, Zoro!" Luffy called. The only response was a grunt as Zoro charged toward the remaining bandits. He sidestepped around Usopp and Nami and with one sweeping attack, the bandits were tossed into the air. They landed farther down the street with various thuds, screams, and splatters of blood.

"That was awesome, Zoro!" Usopp cheered.

"Took you long enough," Nami said. "Was the guy you were fighting really that good?"

"Shut up," Zoro huffed. He flinched a little as he sheathed his swords, and when he turned, Luffy noticed he had a hand pressed to one side. "You okay, Luffy?"

"I'm fine," Luffy said. "Just a scratch. But what about you, Zoro? You're acting like you're hurt."

Immediately, Zoro's hand dropped from the spot it had been touching. "It's nothing," he said, straightening.

Luffy frowned. That was the voice Zoro used to use when he was shrugging off an injury. Since becoming a ghost, Zoro had been cut a few times, but he'd always said they barely tingled, and only for a minute or two after receiving the wound. He'd showed them the fading lines. They'd laughed about it. So why was he suddenly acting so different?

"Zoro!" Chopper ran forward and hugged the swordsman's leg tightly. "You were amazing! Thanks for saving me!"

"Don't worry about it," said Zoro gruffly. "You're all right?"

Chopper nodded. "No one even touched me, thanks to you and the others."

Luffy had been moving forward during the exchange, and now he stood directly beside Zoro. He hesitated for an instant, then jabbed a finger hard at the spot Zoro had been holding. The effect was immediate. Zoro gasped in pain and doubled over, clutching at his side. His clothes shifted oddly, and Luffy knew his friend had nearly lost his solidity.

"Damn it, Luffy, what the hell did you do that for?" Zoro choked out, as Chopper scrambled backwards, staring at him in consternation.

"I knew it." Luffy fixed his first mate with an authoritative glare. "You _are_ hurt. How? What happened?"

"Not…here," Zoro hissed through clenched teeth. "Too many…people."

Luffy looked around and saw a few of the bandits beginning to stir, while curious faces from the busier road could be seen at the end of the alley. "Okay. We'll find someplace private, then."

The Straw Hats emerged from the little street, all of them shooting concerned looks at Zoro surreptitiously. Zoro ignored them and strode forward briskly, though one hand stayed at his side. Finding an acceptable place took longer than they would have liked, and Luffy was burning with worried impatience by the time they at last squeezed into a tiny passage between two buildings, hidden by bushes.

"All right," Luffy said as he swung to face Zoro. "Now what's going on?"

"I don't know," Zoro said. "One of them got me. And I can feel it this time."

Nami frowned. "It hurts?"

" _Yes_ , it hurts!" Zoro snapped. "Don't ask me why!"

"Let me see," Chopper said.

Zoro hesitated, then pulled the layers of leather and cloth aside. Luffy heard gasps as the swordsman's body was revealed. He stared. A deep gash cut into the left side of Zoro's abdomen, and a translucent silvery liquid was seeping from it at a steady pace, soaking the dark clothes.

"Zoro…" Nami seemed lost for words. "I…I think you're bleeding."


	3. Injury and Progress

"Zoro…I think you're bleeding. But…it doesn't look like blood…"

"Ectoplasm," Robin said, leaning forward to study the wound with interest. "If I were to guess, I'd say that he is bleeding ectoplasm, Nami."

Usopp was pale. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"What do I do?" Chopper looked frantic. "I've never seen anything like this before! I didn't know a ghost could need medical care! How do I treat something like this?" The little doctor was near tears.

Zoro let go of the clothes. He seemed remarkably calm as he pulled his three swords from his sash and held them out to his captain, but his voice was tight as he spoke. "Hold these for me, Luffy."

"Sure," Luffy said, clasping the weapons tightly in his arms. "But what—"

He got his answer almost immediately, as Zoro abruptly became intangible again, the dark clothes falling in a heap to the ground. Zoro sighed softly, and the tense set of his shoulders lessened by the slimmest of margins.

Pulling aside his green coat and haramaki, Zoro looked down at the injury. The rest of the Straw Hats followed his gaze. Nothing seemed different; the silvery substance still dripped freely, and the wound looked just as bad as it had a moment before.

"Maybe…maybe I could…" Chopper trailed off helplessly, unsure what to suggest.

"Hold on," Zoro said.

Standing there watching Zoro bleed was testing the limits of Luffy's patience. There had to be something they could do, anything other than just waiting like this! What would happen if it didn't stop? If Zoro lost too much, would he die—again?

But Zoro just stood there, face impassive. And gradually, Luffy could see a change. Ever so slowly, the flow began to slacken. Within a few minutes, it had slowed to a trickle. It seemed the gash was beginning to heal; however, looking at Zoro, Luffy still felt a twinge of worry. The flesh around the wound was shimmering and bright silver, but the rest of the swordsman's body was more transparent than usual.

"It looks like it's stopping," Chopper said in relief, peering closely at the injury. "How's it feeling now?"

Zoro shrugged. "Hurts less than it did before."

"But how did you get hurt in the first place?" Usopp asked. "I mean, you're a spirit! You've been cut by stuff before and it didn't do this!"

"Dunno," Zoro looked a bit unsettled. "He wasn't using Haki as far as I could tell—and I'm not sure if Haki could do this, anyway."

Robin looked thoughtful, but when she spoke it was simply to suggest that they return to their quest and deal with this new development later. "There will likely be more groups after the fruit," she said. "We should keep moving."

"Fine," Zoro said, "but I'm not putting those things back on."

"You probably shouldn't get solid for a while anyway, Zoro," Chopper said. "At least until that wound completely heals."

Nami sighed. "Wonderful. So we get the invisible ghost following us after all. Just make sure you stay with us; we won't be able to tell if you get lost." Before Zoro could offer a retort, Nami turned to Usopp. "You carry his clothes."

"What? Why me?"

"Because Chopper's too small, Luffy's already carrying the swords, and it's rude to make a lady do all the work. Besides, I need to watch where we're going."

"And who here is a lady, exactly?" Usopp muttered. But he bent down and started picking the clothes up anyway.

"Just leave 'em." Zoro waved a hand dismissively.

"No way." Nami said. "I paid a lot of money for those!"

"Blackmailing a shopkeeper into giving you an eighty percent discount doesn't count as 'paying a lot of money,'" Zoro said irritably.

"Haggling is hard work, you know! And anyway, you'll need them later."

"Need them? I'd be happy never to touch them again!"

"Now look, you—"

"Okay, okay," Usopp cut in, clothes now safely bundled in his arms. "Let's just get going, huh?"

"Sounds good to me," Zoro said. He faded from sight a moment later, and the crew left the alley and resumed course for the house where they hoped one of their prizes would, at last, be waiting.

* * *

"That must be it," Robin said, looking up at the white house perched on top of the hill. The building had a slightly ramshackle look about it, but it was clean and the yard was well-kept. A low fence surrounded it, and Robin pushed the gate open and started up the path.

As Usopp made to follow her, he heard a soft muttering coming from Luffy's direction. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

Luffy smiled. "It's nothing." He pushed past Usopp and trotted up the hill. He reached the doorstep a moment after Robin did, and reached around her to ring the bell.

After a minute, there was the sound of shuffling footsteps, and the door was opened by a middle-aged man with graying hair and glasses. "May I help you?" he asked, peering at them.

"Hi, I'm Luffy!" The boy leaned forward. "Can my friends and I come in? We want to see your devil fruit."

The man paled slightly, and there was a faint tremor in his voice as he spoke. "Devil fruit? What would I be doing with something like that?"

Nami stepped forward. "Trying to sell it, from what I hear. Look, we're not here to kill you and steal the thing. We're willing to pay, if it's one we're looking for."

"Well…" The man looked unsure.

"Please! It's really important. I promise we're not bad guys." Luffy grinned at him.

The man sighed. "Very well, then, come in." He stood back from the doorway to allow the Straw Hats to step through.

The man led them to a sitting room. It had a worn look, and felt rather cramped, though that could have been due to the sheer amount of stuff in the room. Shelves lined the walls. Most were filled with tightly packed books, though a few held various odd-looking gadgets. More books were piled on the floor along with boxes of varying size, and a desk in one corner held several stacks of papers. It was a comfortable sort of clutter, though, and none of it looked dusty or uncared for. The man excused himself to make tea, while the crew settled themselves as best they could on the room's small sofa. "Well?" he asked, once he had returned and they were all settled. "What do you want with a devil fruit?"

"That's not really important, is it?" Nami leaned forward. "Just tell us which one it is and how much you want for it."

"I…" The man glanced down, one hand rubbing at his mouth. "I'm afraid I don't know which one it is."

"That's all right," Robin said. "We'll know if it's the right one when we see it."

"I can't let you see it," the man said. "Not until I see the money and you've agreed to buy."

"Why not?" Nami asked. "Why on earth would we agree to buy it without seeing it? It could be a fake!"

"It's real." The man's face was set. "But in spite of your assurances, miss, I have no guarantee that you won't simply steal it as soon as you see where it's hidden. I won't take that chance."

Nami sighed in frustration. They couldn't simply leave without seeing it. But spending that kind of money, when the fruit might be useless to them…it was unthinkable.

"And your price, Mr…?" Robin asked.

"Olin," the man said. "And my price is three hundred million."

" _What_?" Nami's voice rose to a screech. "That's way too much!"

"Some people would find it perfectly reasonable," Olin said. "You're free to leave if you're not one of them."

"We _can't_ just leave!" Usopp protested.

"There's no way we're spending that much on something that might not even be what we're after," Nami said. "If you expect us to pay that kind of ridiculous price, the least you can do is—"

"Bring it to our ship in an hour." Luffy spoke for the first time since they'd entered the house.

"You agree to the price?" Olin asked.

"Yes," Luffy said. "Bring it, and you'll get your money."

"What?" Nami stared at him. "But Luffy—"

"Let's go," Luffy stood. "One hour, old man." And he turned and walked out.

* * *

Nami managed to wait until they reached the bottom of the hill before exploding at her captain. "Luffy! What were you thinking, agreeing to that? This probably isn't even one of the ones we need!"

"It's okay," Luffy said, a strange smile on his face.

"It's _not_ okay! We can't just go handing out our treasure for every fruit that comes along—"

"What is it, Luffy?" Robin asked.

Luffy looked at them, the smile widening. "Before we went in, I told Zoro to find out where the fruit was."

"You did?" Usopp asked, looking around in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the ghost. "Oh…is that what you were mumbling about before we went up the hill?"

"Yep," Luffy said. "I thought he'd be able to find out faster than we could if the old man really had a fruit, and if it was one of ours."

Nami looked stunned. "Then…then, since you agreed to buy it…"

"That means…" Usopp was trembling. "We found one? Really?"

Luffy laughed. "Yeah! We all saw pictures of what they looked like, right? So Zoro could tell."

"Which one is it?" Nami asked.

Luffy's eyes sparkled, but before he could speak, Zoro's voice came from the air to his right. "It's Chopper's."

The reindeer gasped, gaze snapping to the apparently empty space next to Luffy. "Mine?" he asked in a trembling voice. "It's…it's really there? You're sure?"

"Yeah," said Zoro's voice.

"All right!" Usopp punched the air. "Way to go, Chopper! You'll be back to your old self in no time!"

"Celebrate after we have it," Zoro said.

"Well, guess we'd better get back to the ship," Nami said. "We should have everything ready for him when he arrives." For a moment, her features twisted in misery. "Three hundred million…that's so much…all that beautiful treasure…"

"It's okay, Nami." Luffy patted her on the back as they walked towards the town. "We can get more. It's for Chopper."

"Yeah…I know," she said, smiling a little. "It'll be worth it."

* * *

"You actually _found_ one?" Sanji's visible eye was wide.

"Yep!" If Luffy had still been rubber, he would literally have been bouncing off the walls. "Chopper'll be back to normal in an hour."

"This is so exciting!" Brook said. The musician had pulled out his guitar and was strumming it, unable to hold still. "Congratulations, Chopper-san! Oh, I hope we'll find mine next!"

"But Brook," Franky said, "even if you eat the Yomi-Yomi no Mi, you won't have any powers until you die again, right?"

Brook's playing faltered. "Yes…I suppose that's true. It would be my third time dying…that's quite a record, Yohohoho!"

"But I don't want you to die, Brook!" Chopper said. "Even if I know you'll come back, I don't want to see that!"

"Chopper-san…" the musician said, clearly touched.

"You know, I've been thinking about something," Usopp said. "I know we've already spent a few months looking, but…you guys don't necessarily have to eat the same fruits as you did before, right? This could be a chance to try out different powers."

"I like my fruit," Chopper tugged at his hat. "Having different powers would be cool…but you can only have one, and I know which one is best for me."

"Yes," Robin smiled at the reindeer. "I think we all feel the same."

Luffy laughed. Of course he wanted his fruit back. He couldn't wait to be rubber again. _I wonder if I'll be able to use my Gears right away…how much will I have to relearn?_ His stomach informed him that that really wasn't important right now; there were more pressing matters. "Sanji!" He waved at the chef. "Food!" What better way than lunch to pass the time until Chopper got his powers back?

* * *

They were polishing off the last plates of food when they heard the shouts. A moment later, Zoro appeared in the galley. "He's here. But it's not good."

"What do you mean, 'not good'?" Nami asked, as the crew rose quickly from their seats.

"I mean it looks like someone tried to beat him to death," Zoro's face was grim.

"What?" Chopper dashed from the room.

The rest of the Straw Hats followed, Zoro fading to invisibility before emerging on deck. They ran to the side of the ship—and found Olin on the dock, barely standing.

"Not good" was perhaps something of an understatement. What they could see of Olin's body was a mess of bruises. Blood dripped from a large wound in his shoulder—perhaps a gunshot—as well as several smaller cuts. His voice was still in working order, however.

"It's gone!" The man sounded near tears. "They found me…on the way here. They took the fruit…I tried to stop them…!" He fell to his knees, voice dropping to a choked mumble that nevertheless carried up to Sunny's deck. "Gone…I'm sorry, Anjia…I couldn't get the money…I'm so sorry!"

"Shit." Sanji dropped to the dock next to Olin. "Come on, old man, let's get you on the ship. Our doctor can fix you up."

Once Sanji had helped the man onboard, however, he saw their doctor needed a little help of his own. Chopper was frozen in place, eyes wide and staring. "Gone…?" he repeated, sounding almost puzzled. "My fruit…is gone?"

"Oi, Chopper," Sanji nudged the reindeer gently with a foot. "Don't worry. We'll get it back, whoever took it. But right now this guy needs help."

Chopper blinked, then focused on Olin. "Oh no! He's seriously hurt! He needs a doctor right away!"

"So," Sanji pushed Chopper towards the injured man, "go help him already, doctor."

"Oh. Right!" Chopper scrambled forward. "Bring him to the infirmary! Nami, can you help me?"

"Of course," she said, moving to follow.

"Wait." Luffy's quiet voice brought everyone to a sudden halt.

"What?" Sanji asked, as the captain strode forward to stand in front of Olin.

"Old man." Luffy's expression was unreadable, eyes shadowed by his hat. "Who took it?"

"Luffy, now's not the time!" Nami began to turn back to Olin again. "He can tell us after his wounds are treated."

"Who did it?" Luffy stepped closer, ignoring Nami. "Where are they?"

For several seconds, the only response was Olin's panting breaths. Then his eyes dragged upward to focus on Luffy, and he spoke in a hoarse whisper. "The…the Stone Dogs. They're…a gang from a nearby island. They're…thugs, barely worth being called pirates, but they're strong. Too strong for me."

"Where are they?" Luffy asked.

"They have…a base, on the north side of the island, for when they come here."

"Got it." Luffy stepped away. "We're gonna get it back."

"Hold on a minute, Luffy!" Nami said. "If these guys are strong, we'll need to fight them together. Right now I have to help Chopper take care of this man, and Zoro is still—" She broke off abruptly, glancing at Olin. "Just wait a bit. I promise we'll go as soon as we can."

"No," Luffy said. "This can't wait."

"I know how you feel, Luffy, but—"

"Why don't I take the ship around the island while you and Chopper are treating the guy?" Franky suggested. "You should have enough time."

"I…Oh, all right." Nami sighed. "Come on, let's get him inside."

Once Olin was safely in the infirmary with Chopper and Nami, Sanji came back out to join the others on the third floor, where Franky had Sunny underway. "So," the cook said, "sounds like this could be a real party."

"He did say this gang was strong," Robin said. "Though his idea of strong may be different from ours."

"Yeah, that's right! These guys'll be no problem for us!" Usopp sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as much as the others. "I mean, all we have to do is bring Zoro along—"

"No," said Luffy.

Usopp stared. "What? Why not?"

"Chopper said he shouldn't be solid again until he healed all the way." Luffy addressed the air to his left. "You're still hurt, right, Zoro?"

Zoro shimmered into view a few feet away. "I'll be fine, Luffy. I can fight."

"That's not what I asked." Luffy stepped closer, bending down to peer at the spot. He couldn't see much through the coat and haramaki, but Zoro's side remained brighter than the rest of him. "Is that wound still there?"

"It doesn't matter. I can manage long enough to get this done."

"So in other words, you're not healed yet." Sanji rolled his eyes. "Just leave this to us, idiot."

"If you think I'm going to sit back here and wait—"

"You don't have to do everything, Zoro-san," Brook said.

"Yeah, these guys can't be all that great if they're sticking to a couple of little islands," Franky said, smirking. "If they were a real threat, they'd have set off for something bigger by now."

Zoro glared. "You know better than to assume they're weaklings because of that."

"We'll be okay, Zoro." Luffy was the picture of confidence. "You stay out of this."

"Luffy—"

"Captain's orders."

Zoro huffed an impatient sigh. "Fine, I'll let you guys handle it. But if you get into real trouble, I'm not going to stand on the sidelines watching."

"Okay." Luffy gave Zoro a smile. "But you won't have to step in. Promise."

* * *

The Stone Dogs' base was a sturdy building of average size, made of rough-cut wood with no paint or decorations of any kind besides a lonely flag painted with the gang's mark—a gray, rocky-looking paw print. A wide dock surrounded it, stretching out into the water far enough that the Sunny had no problems pulling right up to the edge.

"Okay," Luffy said. "Nami, Sanji, Franky, Brook, Robin—let's go."

"Huh?" Usopp blinked. "What about me?"

"You're going to protect Sunny and Chopper and the old man," Luffy said. "If anyone tries to come, you can stop them before they get close."

"Oh, right…good idea. You can count on me, captain!" Usopp gave a jaunty salute, relieved to be staying on the ship during a fight, for once.

The six Straw Hats left the ship and strode along the dock. Luffy knew Zoro was following close behind. In the past few months, he'd found he'd developed a sense for the spirit's presence. He still couldn't see him if Zoro didn't want to be seen, but more often than not, Luffy could tell when his friend was nearby, even if he was invisible. It was a comforting feeling.

Their approach had not gone unnoticed. As they drew close, the doors of the building were flung open and men began filing out. There were at least two dozen of them, and most were large and heavily muscled. All wore the same mark as the flag somewhere on their person. They carried an assortment of weapons—swords and guns were the most prominent, but Luffy could see spears, knives, a mace, a couple of shoulder rifles, and a few futuristic-looking weapons with strange prongs and barrels.

"Well, hello there," one of the men said. He was shorter than the rest, but with the same muscular body. A prong-tipped rod made of some kind of black metal rested against his shoulder, and his red-brown hair was covered with a gray helmet sporting carved dog ears. "I'm afraid we're not in the mood for visitors just now. I suggest you all turn around and leave. Trespassing can bring you a whole lot of trouble, you know."

"You stole something we need," Luffy said.

A few of the men broke into sniggers. "Business hours are over for the day, kid," the helmeted man said. "But all right, I'm curious—what is this thing?"

"The devil fruit!" Luffy glared at the man. "We're here for the devil fruit you stole from the old man today, Helmet-ears! And we're gonna take it back."

There was a pause, then the dock erupted in laughter. "You think you can take it from us? There's only six of you!" one of them called.

"Maybe you're too late." Another man sneered at them. "Maybe one of us ate it already, and he's about to finish you off with his awesome new powers."

"Yeah right." Nami said. "I know your type. You'd never pass up the kind of money you can get from a devil fruit just for a chance at a good power."

"You think so? Maybe having devil fruit powers would help us get money faster."

"Not this fruit." Nami smirked. "You wouldn't get much use out of this one, trust me."

"If it's so useless," Helmet-ears asked, "why do _you_ want it?"

"That's none of your business," Nami said—but Luffy had opened his mouth as well.

"Our friend needs that fruit!" Luffy stepped forward, glaring. "Now hand it over!"

"Sorry, kid. As it happens, we've already got a buyer. Wanted this fruit specifically, and they're gonna pay real well for it." Helmet-ears swung his rod down to point at Luffy. He pressed a switch, and a spark leapt between the two prongs, the tips quickly becoming white-hot. "Last chance to leave, brat. Otherwise you'll have to fight your way through all of us."

"Okay," Luffy said. And the Straw Hats charged.

Sanji got there first, a flying leap carrying him past Luffy. In seconds his strong kicks had two of the men unconscious on the dock. He looked extremely pleased with himself as he dodged a retaliatory blow from a third man, who joined his fellows on the ground a second later.

The next moment, Luffy didn't have time to observe anymore as one of the Stone Dogs closed on him, twirling a long staff in his hands. He was fast; at first, it was all Luffy could do to keep up with him. Gradually, though, his body warmed up and became used to the rhythm, and he began to think about more than just dodging. Sanji and Robin, who had both had some training in martial arts in the other world, had begun trying to teach him as soon as his health had been up to it; they had reasoned that he needed a way to defend himself until his Haki improved and he recovered his devil fruit powers. Luffy's form was terrible—he simply didn't have the patience necessary for learning the exact movements—but he had picked up some useful skills in spite of it.

Twisting to the right, Luffy managed to get a fist past the man's staff, landing a blow to the pirate's chest. It wasn't terribly hard, but did cause the man to stumble back a pace and gave Luffy a moment to breathe.

He could hear the boom and chatter of Franky's weapons. A flash of lightning caught his eye, and he saw several severely toasted Stone Dogs thrown back from Nami. Brook flashed by; the musician might not be as light and fast as he used to be, but he could still move quite well for an ordinary human, and had lost very little skill with his sword. Luffy couldn't see Sanji from where he stood, but hearing a familiar string of attacks shouted from behind him, he knew the cook was fine.

He and Robin were having the hardest time, Luffy thought. They had both eaten their devil fruits at a young age, had grown up building their entire fighting style around their powers, and fighting without them was a big adjustment. But she seemed to be holding her own well enough.

Luffy's opponent came at him again, and he barely dodged in time. _Focus, damn it!_ The end of the staff smacked painfully into his leg, and Luffy howled, twisting to the side and slipping another punch past the man's guard. Luffy's heart was pounding, and his breathing sounded harsh in his ears. He felt strong, though—this was simple exertion, not the weakness of his body. _All the same, I need to finish this._ He let loose a flurry of punches and finally landed a solid hit that sent the man crashing down.

Luffy looked around and saw that the majority of the Stone Dogs had already been dealt with. _I took too long._ He gritted his teeth. _I've only gotten one so far. I'm the captain; I have to do better than this!_ He stared at his fist. Maybe it was time to try something stronger. He had had limited success with Armament Haki in training so far, but…

A sword-wielding thug swung at Luffy and he ducked quickly. _Okay, let's do this._ The timing would have to be perfect; he knew he couldn't hold the armament for long. The man slashed at him and missed again. The attack caused him to overbalance slightly, and Luffy seized his chance. One arm drew back; armament was activated, and a moment later a hardened fist was slamming into the man's chest. The thug soared through the air, landing with a crash in the wall of the Dog's base. Luffy felt a rush of satisfaction, followed a moment later by a wave of exhaustion. His new body wasn't prepared to handle the use of Haki, even if his mind remembered how.

There was a blur of movement from his other side. Another Dog was coming fast, and Luffy, busy with the last one, hadn't noticed. He flung himself backward, but not quickly enough, and the man's sword opened a long cut on his chest. Luffy cried out, stumbling away.

He felt a sudden surge of presence behind him. "No!" he yelled, never taking his eyes from his opponent. "I said to stay out of it!" The wound hurt, but it wasn't immediately threatening. He could still fight. The thug looked wary; the seemingly nonsensical shout appeared to have unsettled him. _Good,_ Luffy thought, and moved in to attack.

Shaking off his confusion, the man swung his sword to meet him. This time, Luffy was able to dodge, and managed to slip in a punch as well. They circled each other, striking and dodging, until finally Luffy landed a solid hit to the man's solar plexus. The Dog had no armor or other protection, and even without Haki, the blow had caused him considerable pain. The sword dropped to the ground as the man struggled for breath, and Luffy didn't waste time, stepping forward and knocking the man unconscious with a sharp strike to the head.

Luffy stumbled back, breathing hard. He knew he was approaching his limits; he couldn't last in a long fight yet, and the injury was weakening him as well. He looked ahead to see three Stone Dogs approaching him at once. _I have to try the armament again. Nothing else can take them out fast enough._ He just hoped he'd be able to activate it and keep it going long enough to deal with all three.

Luffy braced himself for a charge, fist clenched and ready. Before he could move, however, a black shoe slammed into one of the men. The thug crashed into his companions, and all three landed in a heap on the dock, where they were hit with a rather large bolt of lightning.

Luffy blinked and looked around. There were no Stone Dogs left; the pirates were twitching, groaning, or lying very still on the ground. Nami and Sanji stood nearby, and he could see the rest of his crew approaching.

"Luffy!" Nami hurried forward. "You're bleeding! How bad is it?"

"I'm okay." Then he pouted. "Why'd you have to jump in? I was going to finish them!"

"Don't be such an idiot!" Nami whacked him on the head. "You're hurt, you're tired, and you were outnumbered. It doesn't matter who beat them, just be glad we won!"

Luffy rubbed his head as a slow smile grew on his face. "Yeah…we won. That means…"

"That means there's a fruit in there with our name on it." Franky nodded towards the building. "Or rather, Chopper's name."

Luffy laughed. It didn't matter that he was tired. It didn't matter that his wound hurt and he could still feel the blood trickling down his chest. It didn't even matter that he'd only been able to take down three of the enemy. They had found one. They had found one of the fruits they needed, and Chopper would have his powers back. They were making progress at last.


	4. Life

It didn't take them long to find their prize. The Hito-Hito no Mi was in a room in the center of the building, along with other spoils of the gang's recent raids. Nami's eyes lit up at the sight of treasure, and she announced that as they had defeated the Stone Dogs, everything in the room now belonged to them, and they would be taking it back to the ship. With some difficulty, they loaded it all up and returned to the Sunny.

Chopper's face when they arrived on deck was a perfect blend of worry and joy. His eyes flicked between the crew's injuries and the fruit in Luffy's hand as he trembled with indecision.

Luffy held the fruit out to him. "Here, Chopper. Go on."

For a long moment, Chopper just stared at the fruit, tears welling in his eyes—then he shook himself and stepped toward the stairs. "It…it can wait," he said. "Treating your injuries is more important."

"But we did all that to get this for you." Luffy frowned at the reindeer. "C'mon, hurry up and eat it already."

"No!" Chopper grabbed Luffy's free hand and tried to drag him towards the infirmary. "That wound needs to be looked at now! And…and I don't want to be worrying about you guys when I eat it."

"Chopper has a point, Luffy," Robin said. "He may not be able to control the powers immediately. It would be best to have our injuries treated so he can focus on himself."

"Okay," Luffy said reluctantly. He was looking forward to seeing Chopper restored to his old self, but he knew their reasoning made sense. Better to just go and get it taken care of as quickly as possible. And the cut _did_ hurt.

In the infirmary, Nami helped Chopper clean and bandage Luffy's wound. While they worked, Luffy watched Olin, who was asleep in the bed. The man was covered in bandages but didn't look quite as terrible as he had earlier. He stirred fitfully, and as Chopper finished his treatment, Olin's eyes opened.

"Oh, you're awake!" Luffy said cheerfully. "Chopper fixed you up good, didn't he, old man?"

Olin turned his head slowly to look at Luffy. "…Yes," he said weakly. "Thank you…" His gaze fell on the fruit now resting on Chopper's table. He drew in a breath. "You…you got it back?"

"Yep!" Luffy hopped off the chair. "It was easy."

"I see…" The man turned to look at the ceiling again. "Well, I suppose I'd rather you have it than that awful gang. Congratulations." His voice held a note of bitterness.

Luffy stared for a moment, then nodded to himself and turned to Nami. "Take us back to the town."

"Right," she said, turning to leave.

Luffy caught her arm. "And Nami…have three hundred million ready for the old man when he leaves."

"What?" She stared at him.

There was a flurry of movement from the bed as Olin tried to rise, followed by a cry of pain. "You stay put!" Chopper yelled, rushing over to force his patient back down again.

Olin subsided, staring at Luffy with a stunned expression. "…Why? You retrieved the fruit on your own. Most pirates would consider themselves well within their rights to simply keep it."

"Luffy isn't like most pirates," Chopper said with a smile.

"You can say that again," Nami muttered. "All right, fine. It'll be ready."

"We had a deal," Luffy said. "That fruit belonged to you. I don't want to get our powers back by stealing from good people, like Helmet-ears and those guys did." He looked at their guest. "You need it for something, right? The money."

"I….yes. For—for my daughter, Anjia. I…" Olin raised a trembling hand to his forehead. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You don't know what this means."

"Sure." Luffy headed for the door. "No problem." Just before he left the room, he turned to look at Chopper. "Let me know when you're gonna eat it, okay, Chopper?"

"Okay," the doctor said. "I…I'm going to wait until Olin's paid. I don't want to steal from him, either."

"Then hurry up and get him well enough to leave," Luffy said. "I want to see you get your powers back already."

Furrowing his brow, Olin opened his mouth to speak.

"Honestly, Luffy," Nami said. "It's _Chopper's_ fruit, not yours. He can do what he likes."

"I know that," Luffy said. "But when he eats it, it'll finally be real, you know?" He grinned. "We'll be one step closer to getting back to our old selves!"

"Your old selves?" Olin asked.

The three Straw Hats froze. "Oops." Luffy shot him a grin. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Later, old man!" And he scurried from the room before Olin could ask anything else.

* * *

Olin left later that day, weak but walking with the aid of a staff. Sanji and Franky went with him to carry the money and make sure he got back okay. When they returned, the crew gathered on the deck. Chopper stood on the lawn, holding his fruit and trembling slightly.

"You're absolutely sure this is the right fruit, Chopper?" Usopp asked.

"Yes."

"You ready?" Zoro said.

Chopper drew a deep breath and nodded.

"Maybe we should give him some privacy," Nami said. "I don't think I'd want to eat a devil fruit with everyone watching me."

"But I want to see," Luffy protested.

"Luffy—"

"It's okay," Chopper said. "I don't mind if you guys stay." He gripped the fruit a little tighter with his hooves. "It's a little scary…I mean, I've wanted this for months, and I can't wait to have my powers back, but—but even so…" He gave them a watery smile. "I'm so glad you're all here with me!"

"Aww, Chopper." Usopp sniffled a bit. Beside him, Franky was in floods.

"Um…" Chopper glanced down at the fruit. "Maybe you should step back a little, though. Just in case."

The crew retreated a few paces. "Okay!" Luffy said, waving to Chopper. "We're ready!"

"Right." The reindeer raised the fruit, took a deep breath—and bit. Almost immediately, his face screwed up in disgust.

"That bad, huh?" Zoro asked.

"I—I think that was…even worse than the first time," Chopper spluttered after choking down his mouthful of fruit. "Why do they have to taste so awful?" He shivered.

"Do you feel any different?" Usopp asked.

"I…I don't kn—" He broke off suddenly, a slow smile spreading over his face. The little reindeer was very still for a moment, then suddenly his form changed, growing larger and larger until he stood before his friends in what was unmistakably Heavy Point.

"Yes!" Luffy cheered.

"Awesome, Chopper!" Usopp shouted.

Chopper let out an ecstatic laugh as he switched to Walk Point. "They're back! My powers are back!" The reindeer leaped and danced across the deck. "I feel like me again!"

"Oh man, we really did it!" Franky said, wiping at his eyes. "What a super day!"

"One down, three to go," Robin said, smiling.

"I think this calls for a celebration!" Brook said, pulling out his violin.

"Of course!" Luffy said. "Sanji!"

"Food, right, I know," the chef said. He headed for the galley with a grin. "Congrats, Chopper."

The party was long and loud. Chopper couldn't seem to sit still, and ate his food as he bounced and jumped and ran among his friends, switching forms every minute or two. Only one small cloud marred his sunny horizon, but Chopper did his best to put it from his mind as they celebrated.

* * *

Zoro looked toward the town from his seat in the crow's nest. The crew had finally quieted down and headed to bed about an hour before, leaving the swordsman on watch. It was a duty he had found himself performing with increasing regularity since their return—after all, why should one of the mortal crewmembers sacrifice a good night's rest to keep watch when there was a sleepless ghost available?

Zoro didn't really mind—he had gotten used to being alone during his long wait on the island, and while he was happy to have the others back, it was good to have a few hours of regular solitude. And on quiet nights, he could let himself drift a little, allowing his mind to detach slightly from the physical reality around him. Sometimes, if he relaxed enough, it almost felt like sleep.

Tonight, though, there was plenty to think about. Like what the thugs' leader had said, just before the fight. Robin had picked up on it, too…

" _He said someone wanted to obtain this particular fruit." Robin looked up from her glass during a lull in the celebration. "Why? The power of the Hito-Hito no Mi is unlikely to be in great demand, normally."_

" _Who cares?" Franky said. He had drunk more alcohol-laced cola than was strictly wise, and his already-loud voice was steadily increasing in volume. "Maybe they're really attached to their pet cat and want it to talk to them."_

Somehow, Zoro had a feeling Robin's question had a different answer. It could be nothing serious. Hell, with how well the Straw Hat name was known, even after all these years, the powers used by the pirate king's crew would probably be highly desired. _Even so, though, there are better choices for a human. Robin's, even Brook's…or Luffy's, of course_. The fruit of the pirate king himself would surely carry maximum bragging rights. Well, for now, it didn't matter. They'd gotten to Chopper's fruit first. And if it turned out that there _was_ something more to this, then they'd deal with it. Just like they always had.

A dark shape moving on Sunny's deck caught his eye, and he reached automatically for a sword before he realized who it was. _What's Chopper doing back up here so soon?_ Slipping through the wall, Zoro watched as the reindeer took up a position on the deck and went still. He seemed to be concentrating on something. A moment later, the small shape grew as he switched to Heavy Point.

"No!" came a muffled shout. Chopper froze again, then shrunk back to Brain Point. "Why can't I do it?"

For the next several minutes, Zoro watched in silence as Chopper continued switching between his three forms, muttering and whining after each change. Finally, he decided to announce himself. Not wanting to scare Chopper too badly by appearing right in front of him, Zoro teleported behind the stairs, then stepped forward. "Hey." He had tried to be quiet, but Chopper instantly jumped and spun around in panic.

"Zoro!" Chopper was doing a terrific impression of a deer in headlights—a _rein_ deer in headlights, Zoro supposed. "S-sorry, I…I didn't think you'd hear…"

"Don't worry about it." Zoro raised an eyebrow. "You're up late."

"I know." Chopper looked down guiltily, tugging at his hat. "I just…I needed to try…but I can't do it! Why can't I do it?"

"Do what?" Zoro was pretty sure he knew, but he wanted to hear Chopper say it for himself.

"I can't use my other forms!" Chopper wailed. "Just my first three. I mean, maybe I could do it with a Rumble Ball, but it's not the same as being able to use them whenever I want! I thought…I thought once I got my powers back, I'd be strong again, like I used to be. I thought I could help protect everyone. But…"

Zoro laid a hand on the reindeer's head. "Chopper. You are strong. And you'll be able to fight, now. You'll get stronger. But you can't expect to be back at your old level immediately just because you have your powers again."

"I…I know. It's just…"

"You were able to use those forms before. You remember what it was like, right?"

"Of course I do!" Chopper looked up, his overly-bright eyes meeting Zoro's serious one. "That's—that's why I—"

"Then it probably won't take too long to get them back if you keep practicing." Zoro gave what he hoped was an encouraging look. "Just don't give up. I didn't, and it was worth it."

"You mean… waiting for us to come back?"

"Well, yeah, that too, but…" Zoro turned to lean against Sunny's rail, looking up at the night sky. He let the silence stretch for a minute before continuing. "Did you know it took ten years for me to learn to touch things as a spirit?"

"It took you that long?" Chopper's eyes were wide.

"Yeah. And even then, I wasn't much good at it for a while." Zoro raised a translucent hand and stared at it. "Actually, when I first became like this, it took all my willpower just to keep existing. I couldn't do anything. Could barely move. I had to relearn everything." He grinned at Chopper. "And I did. I kept working at it, and every day things got just a little easier."

"That's amazing, Zoro," Chopper said softly.

"So don't you give up, either. Keep practicing, and you'll have those forms back before you know it."

"Okay, I won't! I mean, I will! I mean…um…I'll keep practicing." They stood in silence for a moment before Chopper spoke up hesitantly. "…Zoro?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…"

"…What?"

"Do you…miss being alive?"

Zoro stared up at the night sky. "What makes you think I'm not alive?"

Chopper stared, confused. "Zoro…you're a ghost. You…" He sniffled a little. "You died."

"So?" Zoro met his eyes with a challenging look. "What does that matter? I died, sure. I don't have the same kind of life I had before, maybe. But just because it's different doesn't mean it doesn't exist." He raised an eyebrow. "We've been sailing together again for half a year now. Do I seem dead to you?"

"Well…" Chopper considered for a moment. "No…not really, I guess. I mean, you still laugh, and get angry, and protect us and everything, just like you used to…"

"Right." The corner of Zoro's mouth quirked upward. "I've never thought of myself as dead," he said. "So you're gonna need to rephrase that question if you want an answer."

"Okay. Sorry." Chopper was quiet as he tried to find words. "I meant…do you ever miss the way you were before? Having a…a physical body, and everything?"

Zoro took a deep breath. "…Sure, sometimes. Things are different now. My place in the world isn't the same as it used to be. It's a little like those bubbles back on Fishman Island—I can see everything, hear everything, but there's something separating me from all the stuff on the other side." He looked up at the sky again. "I've been like this for a long time, but I still remember what it was like before, when I try. And sure, I miss it. Even when I'm solid, I can't really feel the wind in my hair or smell the salty air. I can't feel the sweat and aching muscles of a good workout. I can't drink anymore—hell, I can't even eat the shitty cook's food."

A smile slipped onto his face as his gaze returned to Chopper. "But I'm here. What kind of body I have doesn't matter. I'm still here, I can still fight, and I've finally got you all back. I can live with the rest of it." He pushed off the rail, stretching. "I'm gonna head back up. You should get some sleep."

"Okay." Chopper turned to leave. "Goodnight, Zoro. And, um…thanks."

Zoro dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Night, Chopper."

* * *

_There was something familiar about this, he decided as he swiveled his head, trying to catch a glimpse of something. He was entirely unsuccessful; there was nothing around him but darkness. Luffy wasn't sure how you were supposed to tell one place of total darkness apart from another, or why he was so sure he knew this particular patch of it, but he did. He had been here before._

" _So, you finally got one, eh?" a voice said._

_Luffy spun around, eyes searching frantically through the blackness. Nothing…nothing…noth—there! Light sprang up to one side, uncomfortably bright after so much darkness, and Luffy instinctively raised a hand, eyes blinking as they adjusted to the glare._

_A man sat in front of him, perched comfortably on thin air—or maybe it was a seat formed from the darkness that surrounded them. The man's freckled face wore a grin, and Luffy choked back a gasp when he saw him. The last time they'd met, Luffy hadn't known him, and he'd been worried that he'd never get another chance._

" _Ace…" he whispered. And then he flung himself at his brother. Warm arms caught him as his momentum knocked both of them over. For a minute, there were no more words as the darkness filled with laughter and tears._

" _All right, all right," Ace said at last, pushing Luffy back enough for him to sit upright again. "It's good to see you too, Luffy."_

" _Ace…" Luffy swiped at his eyes, still half in his brother's lap. "What are you doing here?"_

_Ace reached out, ruffling Luffy's hair. "Just wanted to check in. You look good, Luffy."_

_Luffy gave him a lopsided smile. "I have a lot more to do before I'm as strong as I was."_

" _The last time we talked like this, you were all flushed and sweaty and shaking," Ace said. "Trust me, you're looking good." He raised his eyebrows. "And you did something important today, didn't you?"_

" _Yeah." Luffy's smile grew wider. "Chopper's back to himself now. Next we have to find Brook's fruit, and Robin's…oh, and mine."_

" _Of course, yours too." Ace lifted a hand, tugging at Luffy's cheek and chuckling a little when it failed to stretch any farther than an ordinary person's would. "It would be way too weird to leave you like this."_

_Luffy sent his brother an annoyed look. He pulled free and rubbed his red cheek with one hand. "Ow, Ace, that hurt!"_

" _Sorry." Ace laughed. "Guess I'm too used to having a little brother made of rubber."_

 _Still rubbing his cheek, Luffy looked around. There was light where he and Ace were, but beyond their small circle everything was still dark, and he couldn't make out any details of their surroundings—if there_ were _any details to make out. "Where are we?" he asked._

_Ace shrugged. "Call it a dream, I guess. Though someone like you should really be able to come up with something more imaginative for a dream world."_

_Luffy looked down, the smile _on his face_ wavering at Ace's words. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that," he said. "I don't want this to be a dream."_

" _How come?"_

" _Because that means it's not real. You're not real."_

_A moment later there was a cracking thud, and pain bloomed from the top of Luffy's head as Ace's fist slammed into it. "OW!" Luffy howled, clutching his head. "What did you do that for?"_

" _Oh, so that hurt?" Ace sounded politely interested. "Huh. I figured since this was a dream, it wouldn't. Sorry about that. Strange sort of dream, isn't it?"_

_Luffy glared at Ace, but slowly, a small smile began to grow. "Maybe…maybe it's not just a dream. Not a normal one, anyway."_

" _Hmm, could be." The light around them noticeably dimmed, and Ace looked up. "Ah, damn, I was hoping we'd have more time. Listen, Luffy, I don't know when you'll see me again, but I promise this won't be the last time, okay?"_

_Luffy looked stricken. "What? No, Ace, you can't go yet!"_

" _I'm not going anywhere, silly." Ace grinned at him. "But all dreams end eventually, one way or another. Sometimes it's because you lose them. Sometimes it's because you make them come true. And sometimes, it's because you're waking up." He poked a finger at Luffy in mock sternness. "The next time we meet, I'll be testing you to see if you really are getting stronger, so no slacking."_

" _I promise." Luffy wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh, cry, or glare. His face twisted as he tried to fit them all in, and his last image before waking was of Ace, howling with laughter as his shaking finger pointed at Luffy's expression._

* * *

Morning found the Straw Hats enjoying a day off. High from their success the day before, and still needing to stock up on supplies, Luffy had declared that they weren't finished celebrating and would leave the next day. They had docked the Sunny away from the town this time, and Luffy took advantage of the nice weather by roping his crew into a swimming lesson.

Even though he no longer had a devil fruit user's weakness to water, he had never learned to swim in this life due to his poor health. Now that he was stronger, he fully intended to enjoy the benefits of not having a devil fruit while he could. Improvement was slow, but he had, at least, progressed to the point where he wasn't in danger of drowning if the others took their eyes off him for more than a second. The crew rotated teaching duty; today it was Franky and Sanji's turn to play lifeguard/swim instructor. The rest of the Straw Hats were watching from the beach, with the exception of Usopp, who had decided to join in, and Zoro, who was sitting in the air a few inches above the water where Luffy was swimming.

"Can't you go be spooky somewhere else, damn it?" Sanji asked, after accidentally swimming through Zoro's feet for the third time.

"Don't feel like it." Zoro leaned back in the air, a picture of contentment.

Sanji growled in frustration but offered no further retort, as Luffy chose that moment to give a particularly enthusiastic stroke that carried him right into the cook, knocking him back into the water. A spluttering Sanji surfaced moments later; he glared at his grinning captain—who had managed to stabilize himself—and at Zoro, whose loud laughter echoed across the water.

"Damn it, Luffy, watch where you're going!"

"Sorry, Sanji!" Luffy said. "But I'm doing better, aren't I?"

"Aside from nearly drowning people? Sure, you're doing great." Sanji rolled his eyes. "Come on, time for a break."

Luffy pouted. "But I don't want to stop yet."

"That's too bad, Bro." Franky grinned at him. "Because you promised to listen to us when we agreed to teach you, and right now we're saying you need a break. You might not feel it yet, but you're probably starting to get tired."

Luffy heaved a sigh but reluctantly began heading for shore. They had just reached standing depth when the sound of rustling leaves drew their attention toward the trees at the edge of the beach.

"Hey, someone's coming!" Franky said. Immediately, Zoro faded from sight. Luffy scrambled from the water along with Sanji and Franky, and the Straw Hats clustered together to face the intruder.

A moment later, the leaves parted, and Olin stepped onto the beach. He was still using the staff to walk, and the bruises that showed around his bandages looked even uglier than the day before. He seemed to be recovering well, however, and greeted them with a cry of relief as he limped towards them.

"Hey, old man!" Luffy called, waving to him. "You look awful."

"Don't be rude, Luffy!" Chopper said. "Are you doing okay, Olin?"

"What? Oh, yes, I'm doing much better," the man said. "You did a fine job with me, doctor."

"Shut up, you bastard!" Chopper blushed as he danced back and forth. "Hearing that doesn't make me happy at all!"

Olin stared for a moment, but then he turned to Luffy, a desperate light in his eyes. "Thank goodness you haven't left yet! May I ask where your ship is headed?"

"Dunno." Luffy glanced at Nami. "We're looking for something, and we're just gonna keep sailing until we find it."

"Then…then, please, will you take me to the island where my daughter is?"

"She doesn't live here?" Brook asked.

"No. She lives on Shirubaki Island." Olin's gaze dropped, one hand tightening on his staff. "It's perhaps a week away from this island, but the course you have to take to get there is dangerous, and none of the ships here will go out of their way to sail those waters." He looked back up at the Straw Hats. "I'll pay you. I'll return as much of the money to you as I can, though I'm afraid I need most of it to help her." He bowed as low as he was able without falling, clutching the staff like a lifeline. "Please, will you help me?"

The Straw Hats looked at each other. "Um, could you excuse us?" Nami said, shepherding the others toward the far end of the beach. "We need to discuss this for a minute."

"We shouldn't go!" Usopp said, the moment they had huddled together out of earshot. "Didn't you hear him? He said it was dangerous! We shouldn't be rushing into stuff like that yet!"

"He's trying to help his daughter, Usopp-san," Brook said. "And he was almost killed doing it. For him to go that far, she may be in serious trouble."

"And if a lady's in trouble, we have to help," Sanji said.

"I-It's not like I don't want to help her!" Usopp protested. "But if this route is so dangerous…"

"The old man thought that gang was dangerous, too," Franky reminded him, "and we took care of them pretty quickly."

Usopp wilted slightly. "Yeah, I know, but…"

"I want to help them." Luffy said. "We didn't know where to go next anyway, right? Maybe we'll find something if we take him."

"There is one more thing to consider," Robin said. "If we bring this man with us, it would be difficult to hide Zoro's presence from him."

"O-oh yeah…" Chopper said. "That might be a problem, huh?"

"Damn it, why does the shitty marimo always have to complicate things?" Sanji said. He had grabbed his cigarettes from his pile of clothes as he passed, and now he pulled one out and lit it, squashing the nearly-empty package in his free hand.

"If you wanted a simple life, cook, you're on the wrong ship," a voice said from behind him. Sanji whipped around, but empty air greeted him; with Olin nearby, Zoro remained invisible.

Muttering under his breath about shitty invisible voices, Sanji deliberately turned his back on the patch of air and faced the others again. "So? What do we do? Are we just going to leave the guy stuck here with no help?"

"Of course not," Nami said. "He seems to be trying to do a good thing, and he's going to pay us, too. We just have to figure out how to deal with Zoro."

"Assuming we don't wish to tell Olin the truth," Robin said, "we have two options. First, Zoro stays hidden during the trip. He remains invisible, and we do not speak to or about him while our guest is nearby."

Nami shuddered. "I don't want him floating around the ship for days with no idea where he is or whether he's watching us! I'd like to at least _try_ to pretend I don't live on a haunted pirate ship."

"Who knows what that bastard might get up to," Sanji agreed. "He could violate the ladies' privacy whenever he wanted and none of us would have a clue! It's not fai—not right!"

"You're confusing me with our other swordsman, Love-cook," Zoro sounded irritated. "And I'm not you, either. Why would I want to look at something like that?"

Nami seemed unsure whether to be offended or relieved by the comment. "In any case, it doesn't work for him to stay hidden. We don't know why this route is so dangerous, but if there are monsters, pirates, or any kind of military along the way, we may need him in a fight."

Robin nodded. "The second option is for him to stay covered whenever he is near Olin. It would still be best for them to have as little interaction as possible—both to lessen the chance of accidents and because Zoro cannot remain tangible for days on end—but he could show himself enough that his presence would cause no alarm if he was needed in battle."

A loud groan came from the air. "You seriously expect me to put those damn things on every day?"

"It's clearly the best option," Nami said. "Why is it such a problem, anyway? Your entire body has to be solid for you to touch anything; what's the difference between holding a sword in your hand and wearing clothes on your body?"

"The _difference_ is there's a lot more cloth than sword!" Zoro snapped. "The more stuff that's touching me, the harder it is to stay solid."

"Well then, all the more reason to wear them," Nami said. "Maybe if you had more practice, it wouldn't bother you so much! I thought you liked difficult stuff. Isn't it supposed to be good training or something?"

There followed several muttered curses, most of which were directed at a certain orange-haired navigator; all of which Nami pretended not to hear.

"What about his wound?" Chopper asked. "If it's still there—"

"It's fine," Zoro said. "Check it later if you want, but it's almost gone now. It will be by tomorrow."

"Then it seems the second option would be best," Brook said, and there were several nods of agreement.

"Easy for you to say," Zoro grumbled, but he knew they were right.

With no further objections, Luffy went running back to tell Olin to meet them at the beach the next morning. Once Olin had left, Sanji headed into town with Franky and Brook to pick up the rest of the needed supplies. Luffy, deprived of his swimming teachers, instead set off to explore the surrounding jungle, Usopp, Chopper, and Zoro in tow. Nami and Robin decided to go back to town as well. It hadn't looked like much, but you never knew when you might run across something interesting, even in the most humble of shops.

Before they went to sleep that night, Nami gave them all an additional warning. "It's not just Zoro. We need to be careful what we say to this man about the rest of us, too. It's too late to give him fake names—not that Luffy would be able to stick to them anyway—but we can't go letting things slip that could help him figure out who we are. If he asks about our names or the ship or anything, just say it's because we're all really big fans of the second pirate king and his crew, got it?"


	5. The Silver Island

**Day 1**

The journey to Shirubaki Island started off well enough. Olin arrived right on time, and after a quick introduction to Zoro, the _Thousand Sunny_ set sail. Olin was clearly curious about their masked companion, but he seemed to find Zoro somewhat intimidating and refrained from asking, much to the crew's relief. Sanji made his usual fantastic lunch, and the crew made enough mess and noise that Olin didn't notice that one of them wasn't eating. After the meal, Zoro retreated to the crow's nest for the rest of the day.

—

This continued for a few days. Sometimes Zoro would take food with him, to excuse his presence at the table—Luffy would visit him later to ensure it wouldn't go to waste. The crew began to relax a little. Olin was interested in the ship and did tend to ask a lot of questions, but he was generally polite and quick to take a hint if they'd had enough. He fancied himself a bit of a scholar, and spent much of his time in the library, often with Robin for company.

**Day 5**

It was somewhere between night and morning, still quite dark. Zoro, as usual, was on watch, the rest of the crew sound asleep and dreaming. Faint moonlight shone down from a clear sky, a light breeze rustling the plants on deck. Zoro closed his eye for a moment. He couldn't let himself relax too much while on watch, not in open water. Just a few seconds of darkness, to break the monotony of staring at the same view for hours…

A loud creak from the ship brought him back to full alert with a snap. He knew it had been less than a minute, but in that short time the weather had completely changed. Dark clouds blotted out the small wedge of moon, a fierce wind tore at the sails and rigging, and a suddenly tempestuous ocean drenched the deck in seawater as rough waves pushed the Sunny about like a child's toy.

Zoro cursed as he took in the sight. The ship wasn't prepped for a storm; with the pleasant weather of the last few days, the sails had been left unfurled to make better time to the island. They'd have to move fast. With the speed of long practice, he pulled himself away from his surroundings. An instant later, he was in the men's quarters, shaking the others awake. Most of the crew woke quickly enough, their grumbling ceasing as they heard the storm and felt the violent movement of the ship.

It was as Zoro was trying to haul a reluctant and still-sleepy Luffy out of bed that he looked up—and caught Olin's eye from the bed they had set up on the far side of the room. There had been no time to don the concealing clothes, and as much as he disliked the things, Zoro suddenly felt rather exposed without them. Olin was peering at him; between the dim light and his sleep-blurred eyes, it was clear the man hadn't yet realized what he was looking at, but if Zoro remained where he was, it would be just a matter of time.

Quickly, Zoro ducked out of sight behind the bunks, Luffy rolling onto the floor with a thud. "Ow!" Luffy sat up, rubbing his head. "Why'd you do that, Zoro?"

"It got you up, didn't it?" Zoro muttered. "C'mon, we need your help outside. And tell our guest to stay put." Without waiting for a response, he teleported again, this time to just outside the women's quarters. No sooner had he appeared than the door was flung open, sweeping through his fortunately-still-intangible body. Nami hurried out, so focused on the storm that she barely noticed Zoro as she, too, passed through him. Robin, following behind, acknowledged his presence with a nod and a hasty sidestep.

Once the ship was secure, there was nothing to be done but ride out the storm—and check on their guest to see if he had noticed anything in the mad rush earlier. Olin had remained inside as instructed. His complexion was not quite green, but there was an air of queasiness about him that sent Chopper scurrying off for medicine.

The sea was calm by the next morning, and Olin appeared perfectly normal as well. The crew watched him carefully, but he seemed unaware that anything unusual had happened, and merely complimented them on their ability to handle themselves in a storm.

**Day 8**

"My goodness! Where on earth did those sea kings come from?"

Nami reached for her Clima-Tact with a resigned air. "I suppose it would be too much to ask to sail through dangerous waters without seeing any."

"Damn it, aren't the storms bad enough? We can't beat those things now!"

"Speak for yourself, Usopp." Sanji moved his foot in a lazy warmup swing. "I'm looking forward to this. That one on the right looks like it'd be pretty tasty in a stir-fry."

"All right, let's capture it!"

"Luffy…"

Zoro stepped forward. "Heh. Leave it to me."

"O-okay, let's let Zoro handle it." Usopp inched behind the mast.

"But I want to fight, too!"

Nami laid a hand on his shoulder. "Just wait here, Luffy. Between Zoro and Sanji, I think those sea kings will be finished before you could even get close enough." In spite of her words, however, she kept her weapon half-raised, ready to strike if she was needed.

"Oh my! Zoro-san cut its head off with one stroke!"

The sea king's head spun away from the towering body. An instant later, Chopper's scream pierced the air. "Ahhh! It's heading right for Sanji!"

"Watch where you're sending things, shitty Marimo!" Sanji spun in midair, his foot intercepting the enormous head just before it hit him.

"Huh. Thought you'd want it. You're supposed to be the cook, after—ugh!"

Sanji's returning kick had been precise, and Zoro hit the deck with a thud. The sea king's head rolled off him as he hauled himself to his feet, blinking in the bright sun.

"Zoro!" Nami hissed in an urgent whisper.

"What?"

"Your hood slipped! Get it up, quick!"

His hand shot to his face. His hood was indeed hanging loosely against his back. Not only that, his mask was skewed to the side, exposing most of his face. With a muttered curse, he yanked the hood back into place, turning away from where Olin stood near the foremast.

The man said nothing, however, and if he seemed to be watching Zoro a bit closer than usual that night, it was easy enough to shrug off as simple awe at his skill with a blade. Maybe he truly hadn't seen anything. The sun _had_ been bright that day, after all.

**Day 9**

"I don't understand." Olin winced as thunder boomed outside the galley. "Shouldn't some of you be out there helping him?"

Nami peered through a porthole at the black sky outside. "Zoro can take care of himself. It's a lightning storm; it's safer to stay inside."

"But surely the lightning would be dangerous to him as well?"

"Er…yes, of course! But the ship's already been secured for the storm; one person can manage alone for now, and there's no sense risking more lives." Outside, the deck was lit by a sudden flash, and Nami swept her eyes across the deck. She couldn't see Zoro, but everything looked to be in order so far.

"I must say, young lady, you don't seem very concerned for your crewmate's welfare."

"Of course Nami-swan cares, old man. But that seaweed-head couldn't die out there if he wanted to."

"It's nice of you to worry about Zoro." Nami smiled at Olin. "But we trust him. He'll be fine."

**Day 10**

Usopp leaped onto Sunny's rail and blew a raspberry at the retreating pirate ship. "Hah, we sure showed those losers!"

Franky wiped an imaginary speck of dirt from the barrel of the cannon he held. "Zoro showed them, you mean. We hardly did anything."

"Shitty marimo hogging all the glory…"

"What was that, dumbass cook?"

Chopper, slightly breathless from his first real fight after regaining his powers, scurried around the deck checking for injuries. He stopped when he came to Sanji, eyes zeroing in on a small red cut on the cook's cheek. "Sanji! Let me see that!"

Sanji sat down to allow the doctor easier access. "I'm fine, Chopper. It's nothing serious."

"You're not hiding any other wounds?"

"Of course not."

After he finished caring for the cut, Chopper looked around at the others. "Is anyone else hurt?"

Aside from a few small bruises, no one was.

Chopper breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, then. Wow, I can't believe we got through a fight with people that tough without any major injuries. I guess we really are getting stronger!"

Olin cleared his throat. "Excuse me, young doctor…"

Chopper spun around in concern. "What is it, Olin? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"No, not at all. But I believe the swordsman may require your attention."

Chopper blinked. "Huh? You mean Zoro?"

"Yes. I'm quite certain I saw him take a few hits from his opponent's blade."

Chopper's mouth dropped open, his eyes flicking between Olin and a suddenly-motionless Zoro. "Oh! Um…well, um, Zoro never tells me when he's hurt, so there's no point in asking, really…you just have to learn to know when he needs it! Come with me, Zoro, I'll take a look!"

In the infirmary, Zoro pulled off his hood and mask. "Oi, Chopper, is this really necessary?"

Chopper gave him his fiercest glare. "Of course it is! I should have thought about this myself. Olin might already be suspicious about you; we can't slip up with stuff like this! Now, none of the cuts hurt like that one time, right?"

"No. They're almost gone already."

"Okay. We'll stay in here long enough for me to have treated your wounds." Chopper began rearranging some bottles of medicine. "Nami's gonna be mad at you again, you know."

Zoro's face wore a wry grin. "Yeah. She hates it when I get holes in the clothes."

"You could have avoided those hits today, right? Why did you let them cut you?"

Zoro sighed impatiently. "Sometimes the fastest way to get an opening is to let the opponent land a hit. There were a lot of them, and I couldn't be bothered to block everything when I knew it wouldn't hurt me."

"But Zoro, you _don't_ know that it won't hurt you! What if whatever happened back on that island happens again? If you got hit in the wrong place, and it worked—" Chopper's eyes began to fill with tears.

"Oi, Chopper—"

"You have to be more careful! You're the greatest swordsman in the world; you could have beaten those guys without letting them get so close. I know you want a challenge, but don't take stupid risks like that!"

Zoro rubbed at his forehead. "All right. I'll pay more attention next time."

"You'd better!" Chopper did his best to keep a stern, doctorly expression. "Okay, we can probably go out now. And try to move a bit stiffly for the next day or two. You're supposed to be injured!"

Zoro tugged his mask back into place. "Tch. This old man is a pain in the ass."

"Nami says we'll be there soon! Just be patient a little longer, okay?"

* * *

All the Straw Hats were relieved when at last they sighted Shirubaki Island. Between the near-constant storms, regular sea king attacks, and several raids from other pirate groups, it would have been a taxing trip even without the stress of keeping Zoro hidden. _Leave it to the Marimo to make a bad time worse,_ Sanji thought. It wasn't Zoro's _fault_ , of course—but still, things would have been much more straightforward without the ghost aboard. Besides, it was relaxing to pin the blame on his old rival.

But the voyage was at an end, now. They were here, and somewhere on that island was a beautiful princess just waiting for a handsome prince to save her. A smile slipped onto Sanji's face as he looked towards the distant shore. Whatever her problems might be, he would make sure they were gone for good. _And…_ The smile became slightly mischievous. _…maybe I can_ _finally_ _take care of a_ _n_ _other 'errand' while we're here._

Ahead, the island rose from the sea like a beacon, nearly blinding them in the late morning light. "Why's everything so bright?" Usopp asked, shielding his eyes.

"I suppose the sunlight is reflecting off the buildings," Brook said. "And the water as well."

"I don't think there are that many buildings, though," Nami said. "Usopp's right, that island is really bright!"

Olin chuckled. "It's the trees."

"The trees?" Chopper asked.

"Yes." Olin smiled at the little reindeer. "All the trees on Shirubaki Island have silver leaves, no matter what kind they are."

"Not…not _real_ silver?" Nami asked breathlessly.

"No," Olin said. "It's just the color. Still, they're quite pretty, and as you can see, they reflect light nicely. I believe some of the residents make cloth and other items from the leaves."

"How beautiful," Robin said.

"Awesome!" Luffy said, staring at the shore. "Hey, do the trees make silver fruit, too?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Olin suggested.

"Okay," Luffy said. "C'mon, Nami, let's dock already!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, Luffy, be patient!"

* * *

When the _Thousand Sunny_ finally made port, Luffy was, predictably, the first one off. Even without his rubber powers, he had perfected the art of quickly getting to shore. Olin and the other Straw Hats followed at a more normal pace. Zoro refused to join them this time, saying he needed a break from the clothes and would watch the ship while they were gone.

Luffy's first priority was to check out the silver trees. The girls were interested, too, and along with Usopp and Chopper, decided to go exploring. Olin wanted to find his daughter as soon as possible, and Franky and Brook volunteered to go with him. To everyone's surprise, Sanji did not accompany either group, but said he had some things to do and would meet them later.

"Food shopping?" Usopp asked as they watched Sanji's retreating back.

"A little eager, isn't he?" Franky said. "There's still lots left in Sunny's stores."

"Well, whatever it is, Sanji-kun can take care of himself," Nami said. "Probably. Let's get going."

* * *

Sanji strolled along the sidewalk, looking carefully at the shop names. A small smile tugged at his face as he walked. Shirubaki's port really wasn't that big, as cities went, and he hadn't held much hope that it would have what he wanted. Still, he had asked around, as he had on the last several islands they'd been to, and this time he thought he might finally have gotten lucky. There was a place that sounded promising, and it was supposed to be on this street. He just hoped he hadn't passed it already.

_If so, it's the island's fault for being so damn distracting,_ he thought. The trees really were amazing to look at, and various types had been planted all over the city, so that you couldn't walk more than a few feet without passing one. And then there were the women…

Sanji was fairly sure he hadn't encountered so many gorgeous women in one place back in the other world. There had been beauties, to be sure, but he had never spent much time in cities, and there were multiple continents, more land for people to spread out on. Here, almost everyone lived together on islands, and Shirubaki seemed to have a higher concentration of lovely ladies than any place they'd been to since their return.

Turning his heart-eyed gaze on a slender blonde passing him on the street, Sanji almost missed the sign. At least until his head collided with a carved wooden board hanging from a post, sending him stumbling backwards and catching himself against a shop window. The blonde giggled and moved off with an apologetic smile. Blushing, he straightened and turned to glare at the offending obstacle.

_Candlelit Covers_ , the sign read. And below that, _New & Used Books, Curios, and Mystic Artifacts_. Sanji blinked at it, then looked sideways at the shop window. Books were arranged in eye-catching displays. Most of them were leather-bound, some sporting intricate carved designs, gold-leaf or small gemstones. Many looked old, though there were sparkling new volumes as well. Here and there among the books were other items: a crystal ball, a few packs of tarot cards, elegant bookends in the shape of various creatures.

"Huh," Sanji said. "Guess I didn't miss it." After taking a quick look around to be sure no one was still staring at him, he ducked into the shop. The air held a faint scent of incense, and soft music filled the shop. Sanji took a few hesitant steps forward, tugging at his collar. He spotted a rack of ordinary-looking books, several recent bestsellers among them, and hurried over, trying to appear uninterested in the more occult offerings.

_What the hell am I doing here?_ he asked himself, staring blankly at the back cover of a romance. _I_ never _went to places like this_ _before_ _…back in_ _the other world_ _. This is the kind of place my brother went to, not me._ He took a deep breath and replaced the book. _Ye_ _ah_ _, well, things are different now, aren't they?_ _You know better than anyone here that at least some of this shit is real._ _You've been planning this for a while._ _It_ _could be a long time before we got_ _to another island with a shop like this;_ _in fact, y_ _ou're damn lucky this place exists at all. Stop_ _dithering_ _and go get_ _this done_ _!_

He swung around and marched up to the counter before he could think about it any more. "May I help you find something, sir?" A young man smiled politely at Sanji across the expanse of wood.

Drawing another deep breath, Sanji fixed the employee with as confident a stare as he could muster. "Yeah. I'm looking for a book on ghosts." He leaned in a little, slamming a hand onto the counter. "And I want the real deal, none of that shitty tourist garbage. Powers, weaknesses, that sort of thing."

The young man pulled back slightly, lips thinning by the smallest of fractions at Sanji's outburst. "Very good, sir. I'm certain we have something along those lines." He moved out from behind the counter. "You, ah, have a ghost problem, sir?"

"You could say that," Sanji said. "Smug, insufferable, shitty bastard," he muttered.

The young man eyed Sanji for a moment before turning away. "…Right, then. If you'll follow me, sir?"

The store was larger than it appeared from the outside, Sanji noted, as the young man led him through the aisles. In spite of its occult appearance, the shop seemed to have a fairly good selection of everyday books as well. He saw a shelf of cookbooks and decided to have a look on his way back; there could be recipes in them that had been unknown in their time.

They were about halfway through the store when he saw her—standing in an aisle, a long finger running along a row of books. Oh, she was beautiful, even for this island. Warm brown hair with just a touch of fire flowed down her back in soft waves, framing a delicate face. She looked up just as he passed. A pair of sky blue eyes met his, and suddenly Sanji's feet were not the least bit interested in following the employee anymore.

"Ah!" In less than a second, Sanji was beside the woman, lifting a slender hand to his lips. Her skin was soft and clean but had a definite tan, her nails were short and serviceable, and he could feel strength in her fingers. This was no idle beauty. Probably she worked outdoors in some capacity. "Such loveliness! An angel has appeared before my eyes! My lady, this humble shop is brightened by your presence!"

The woman's free hand rose to her mouth to hide a giggle. "Why, thank you, sir, that's very kind. Are you a new assistant here?"

Sanji blinked. "No, I'm simply passing by, though I would return every day merely for the chance to look upon a beauty such as you."

Another giggle. "I think you would be disappointed, then. I'm afraid I don't get the opportunity to come here often."

"Oh, then the gods of fortune are truly smiling on us today!" Sanji couldn't help giving a little spin before slipping back into what he thought of as his "cool" demeanor. "This must be destiny! For the two of us to meet—my lady, this cannot be dismissed as mere chance!"

"Destiny, is it?" Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she looked at him. "And what, sir, are we destined to do, if this is indeed no random encounter?"

"Why, whatever you desire! I would gladly follow you anywhere, my angel. If you grow tired, I shall carry you; if you grow hungry, I shall create a feast worthy of your glory!"

The blue eyes lit with a spark of interest. "Oh? So the noble knight can cook, then?"

Sanji bowed. "It would be my honor to demonstrate my skills to you. Accompany me to my ship, princess, and I will prepare a meal the likes of which you've never had before."

"You make a tempting offer, sir," she said, smiling. "But it's a poor guest that would accept such generosity and give nothing in return. Tell me, have you ever cooked with silverfruit, sir…may I ask your name, sir?"

"My name is Sanji, my lady," he said, bowing again. "But I don't believe I've had the pleasure of trying this…silverfruit, did you say? Is it grown on one of the silver trees here?"

"On many of them," she said. "All the fruit grown on trees here is silver. We have silver apples, silver peaches, silver cherries…silverfruit is used to refer to any or all of them. The taste is quite different, I think you'll find, from the standard varieties."

"So even the fruit is silver." Sanji smiled. No doubt Luffy would be happy to hear that. "I would be very interested to try your island's fruit. Do you know where I might find some?"

"Indeed I do." Her smile widened. "You see, I own a small farm that grows several different types of silverfruit. Why don't I bring along a few samples in exchange for your generous offer of a meal?" A slim hand reached out, curling around Sanji's tie and pulling him slightly forward. "I think you'll find it irresistible. And I can supply you with as much as you'd like—for a small fee." She winked at him. "A girl has to make a living, you know."

Sanji felt dizzy from the close contact. He knew he was blushing, and it took him several seconds to remember how to speak. "Ah…um…Oh, of course! I—"

"Sir?" The employee had returned. With a mixture of regret and annoyance, Sanji pulled free from the lady's touch. He swung around to see the young man fixing him with a decidedly odd look. "Did you still want your book, sir?"

"Ah—" Sanji could feel his face growing even warmer as a soft chuckle came from behind him. _Damn, she's even beautiful when she's laughing at me_. "Um, yes. Yes, I do." He spied a slim volume in the employee's hands. "Is that it?"

"This would be my recommendation if you're looking for something real, yes." He arched an eyebrow. "You are, of course, welcome to look through the section yourself, sir. If you're not…otherwise occupied?"

"Ah, no. Thanks." Sanji reached for the book. "I'm sure this will be fine. I'll be up to pay in a minute."

"Of course, sir." The employee left for the front of the store, not quite managing to hide a disapproving expression.

"Poor boy." The lady turned her dazzling smile to Sanji again. "He's been here for a while now, but he's never managed to lose that formal air of his. It can be a little off-putting for the people that shop here; most of them prefer a cozier, secret club sort of welcome."

Sanji really couldn't care less about the boy. He had other things on his mind. "Ah, um, yes. As long as he knows his books, I suppose it doesn't really matter, though."

"True." She glanced at the book in his hands. "What was he helping you with?"

"Ah—" He really didn't want this goddess of a woman to know that he believed in things like ghosts. But he couldn't simply brush off her question, either. _Damn._ This was all the marimo's fault. Somehow. "Um, just something for a friend." Sheepishly, Sanji held the book out to her.

The book was leather-bound, the cover carved with intricate runes and the title stamped in silver. As the woman looked at it, Sanji thought he saw a flicker of unease in her eyes, and she quickly returned her gaze to him. "Oh, I see. Your friend is a fan of ghosts and spirits, then?"

Well, the book _was_ for Zoro…sort of. "You could say that, yes." Sanji smiled at her. "But enough about that. I'll let you finish your business here, my lady, and then it would be my pleasure to escort you to my ship. Ah, not that I'm trying to hurry you! I would happily wait as long as you need."

"Oh, no need for that." She stepped toward him. "I just came in to look, really. Although I will have to return to my farm for the fruit, so if you have other errands…"

"They can wait," Sanji said. "I couldn't possibly let you carry the fruit all the way out to the ship! Please, allow me to assist you."

"A gentleman indeed," she said, smiling. "You live up to your name. Very well, Sanji-san, shall we go?"

Not taking his eyes from her, Sanji managed to make his way to the counter without running into too many bookshelves. He had just enough memory of paying for the book to notice that Nami would have winced at the price, and then they were out in the sun, the trees reflecting the sun's dazzling rays into their eyes.

"This way," the woman said, steering him along the street. "It's a pleasant walk; not too far out of town."

Sanji followed in a happy daze. What a wonderful island this was! To think that that morning he'd been on Sunny, irritated at Zoro and kicking Luffy out of the kitchen as usual, and now he was strolling along a silver island, arm-in-arm with the beautiful…the beautiful…

His steps slowed as he abruptly realized he had neglected a vital piece of information. "Ah, my lady!" He turned to face her. "Please forgive me for not asking earlier—may I have your name?"

Her light laughter filled the air. "Oh, of course! I'm so sorry, I should have said." She smiled at him. "Here, let's do it properly." She held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sanji-san. My name is Anjia."


	6. Stories

She was his princess. The beautiful angel he'd met by chance was the person they'd come here to see. Sanji could hardly believe it. He had regretted not going with Olin when they'd docked, but it had turned out to be a lucky break. He had met Anjia before any of the others, and they had enjoyed a pleasant walk all the way to her farm.

The would-be romantic moment was cut short, however, when they arrived at Anjia's farm to find Olin, Franky, and Brook already waiting for them. It was to be expected, Sanji supposed—the three had gone to find her, after all, and her home was a logical place to start—but he couldn't help wishing the place had been just a bit farther from town.

They had barely finished introductions when there was an excited shout behind them. Sanji turned to see Luffy running up the road, with Chopper and Usopp right behind him and the girls following at a slower pace.

"Luffy-san!" Brook waved at him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were exploring the island."

"We were!" Luffy skidded to a halt and grinned up at Brook. "But guess what? The trees here DO make silver fruit! It's supposed to taste really good, too!"

"And someone said that the orchard on this farm has the best silverfruit on the island, so of course Luffy had to drag us all here," Nami said, stepping around a panting Usopp and Chopper as she and Robin joined the group. "But what are you all doing here?" She noticed Anjia standing beside Olin. "Oh! Is this her?"

Olin smiled. "Yes, this is my daughter, Anjia. My dear, this is—"

Anjia quickly held up a hand to stop him. "No, wait, let me guess." She raised a hand to her mouth in concentration, then pointed in turn at each of the new arrivals. "You're Nami, that's Robin, the two behind you are Usopp and Chopper, and the excited boy who wants to try my fruit is Luffy."

Nami blinked. "Um, yes, that's right. How did you…?"

"It wasn't really that difficult." Anjia winked at her. "History has always been an interest of mine, and the Straw Hat Pirates are rather famous, after all. You're not the first people to use those names, though I must say, you're much closer on looks than most of the imitators I've seen."

"Of course; we're all about accuracy!" Usopp said between gulps of air. He straightened and stepped forward, pulling out his kabuto. "This is an authentic piece, personally crafted by the great warrior Usopp! No imitation could hope to match it!"

Anjia looked at the weapon with interest. "It's in excellent condition for something so old; if you hadn't told me otherwise, I'd have thought it was made fairly recently."

Nami laughed nervously. "Don't mind him, he's just _very_ in character." She leaned forward, dropping her voice to a confidential whisper. "I don't know if you know this, but the original Usopp was…very fond of storytelling. Maybe a little too fond, if you know what I mean."

"Oh! I see." Anjia gave Usopp an understanding smile. "It's a fine weapon; I'm sure you've taken good care of it." She turned to Sanji. "Well, Sanji-san, perhaps you and your friends should try the fruit before returning to your ship, as you're all here already." She surveyed the group. "Or are we waiting for one more? Your crew seems to be missing a pirate hunter."

"Zoro's on the ship!" Luffy said, sticking his head around Nami's shoulder with a sunny grin. "We don't have to wait for him, though—he won't want any fruit. Can you give us some now?"

"Oi, Luffy, don't be rude," Sanji said.

"It's fine, Sanji-san," Anjia said. "I'll get you all some fruit, and then you, dad, can tell me what you're doing here. I know you wouldn't have come just to visit, not when you didn't wait for a convoy ship or send word ahead."

Olin chuckled. "I see you're as sharp as ever. You'll want to be sitting for this, I think. Let's go inside."

 

* * *

 

"I have money, Anjia."

Silverfruit was indeed delicious, Sanji noted. The silver peach he was eating was sweet, juicy, and somehow fresher-tasting than an ordinary peach, as though it had been directly infused with the clean island air. But at those four words, most of Sanji's attention was diverted from his fruit, as Anjia abruptly went still.

"How much money?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper, a silver pear held in trembling hands.

"Enough," Olin said. "Enough to pay it all."

The pear thudded to the table. "How?" she asked. "How could you possibly—"

"Well now, that's a story." Olin leaned back and took a sip of tea. "The short version—I know you love stories, Anjia, but the details can wait for another time—the short version is that I happened to acquire a devil fruit, and these people"—he waved a hand at the Straw Hats—"were interested in acquiring it. They helped me out of some trouble, paid for the fruit, and also agreed to take me here on their ship. They've been… quite helpful."

Anjia's eyes were overly bright as she looked at her guests. All at once, she stood and left the room. She returned a few minutes later, carrying a much larger basket of fruit than the bowl of samples that sat empty on the table. She set it down with a thud; Luffy cheered and reached for an apple. "Thanks, lady! These are awesome!"

"It's the least I can do," Anjia said softly. "What you've done for me…you have no idea…"

"So tell us," Luffy said, shrugging.

"Luffy!" Nami said. "It's obviously something personal; she doesn't have to say anything to us about it."

"It's all right, Nami-san. I think you should hear the story, since you've helped bring it to what will hopefully be a happy ending," Anjia said, taking her seat again. She sighed. "Now, where should I start…"

* * *

 "I suppose at the beginning my story isn't so different from a hundred others. I came to this island ten years ago and found a job at this farm. There was a young man who worked here part time, mostly carpentry or helping with the harvest. His name was Callan, and he—well, that is, we—"

"You fell in love, right?" Luffy asked around a mouthful of fruit.

"Don't interrupt a lady!" Sanji snapped.

Anjia blushed. "He's right, though. Callan and I—well, to make a long story shorter, we were married within a year, and after the owners retired, we bought this place and ran it together. We wanted to develop the silverfruit grown here, make it better, and tastier, so it would be known all over the world."

Her hands gripped the edges of her chair. "It was going perfectly for a few years, and then…five years ago, a disease came to this island." There was a flicker of movement from the other side of the table as Chopper leaned forward in automatic concern.

Anjia swallowed, sweat beading lightly on her skin. "I've never been comfortable around illness or death—even when one of my friends had a simple cold, I couldn't make myself visit until they were better. And this disease…it wasn't like anything we'd seen before. The doctors here couldn't cure it. They didn't know what to do, and people were starting to die.

"Then a man came. He called himself a doctor, and I'll admit he knew medicine—he'd encountered this illness before, and he had a cure that worked, and worked well." Her voice turned bitter. "But no doctor that cared anything for people would ask the prices he did. That man would have watched the entire island die without a care if we couldn't give him his money."

"So what did you do?" Usopp asked. "Did you all find a way to pay?"

Anjia gave a sad smile. "At the time, most people here could barely have paid for themselves, never mind their entire families. I know Shirubaki looks like a prosperous island, especially with all the silver everywhere, but it's really only in the last year or so that that's started to be true for the majority of people. Back then, there were very few wealthy people on the island, and most of them weren't interested in spending their fortunes on keeping anyone but themselves alive."

"That's horrible!" Chopper said.

"Couldn't you have found another doctor?" Nami asked. "This guy couldn't have been the only doctor in the world that knew about this disease."

"He wasn't," Anjia confirmed, "but he was the one who'd developed the cure, and he hadn't yet shared the knowledge with anyone else. We did try contacting other doctors, but the few we could find who'd heard of it hadn't had much success in treating it.

"I nearly left the island then," Anjia said. "If it hadn't been for this farm, I would have left at the first sign of disease. But by that time, the neighboring islands had set up a blockade, to keep the illness from spreading. And then—" She hugged herself tightly, fingers digging into her arms. "And then it was too late for me to leave."

"You got sick?" Chopper asked in a whisper.

"Yes," Anjia said, her voice equally quiet.

"Oh no," Brook said.

Olin reached out, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. With a deep breath, Anjia relaxed her posture, returning her hands to her lap and giving her father a small, grateful smile.

"I'm so sorry, Anjia-chan," Sanji said, laying his hand on hers.

"Thank you, Sanji-san." Anjia ran her free hand across her eyes. "Well, after that, Callan was ready to try desperate measures. There was one man, Delaney, who was rich enough to pay for the entire island with little trouble. He didn't even live here full-time—he just had a beach house here because he liked the trees. He was long gone by then, of course—he'd never endanger himself by remaining in a place with even one sick person—but some of his staff was there, to manage the house and such."

She swallowed. "Callan went to the house, got Delaney's staff to contact him, and tried to make a deal. At first, Delaney wasn't interested. He didn't need our fruit, or Callan's carpentry skills. He could get that sort of thing easily for much less money than he'd have to spend on the cure. So finally, Callan got desperate enough to offer him something else."

Anjia drew another deep breath. "Callan wasn't from this island originally, either. His family is quite famous—some might say notorious—for their skills in fighting, as well as espionage and other, more morally dubious things. They're—rather highly sought after by people who need those sorts of jobs done—bodyguards, spies…"

"Assassins?" Robin asked.

Anjia nodded. "Among other things. Callan was raised learning it all—and learning it well, from what I know—before he decided it wasn't the life for him.

"He managed to get out, and had no intention of going back to that world, but—well, as I said, desperate measures." Anjia's mouth twisted in a pained smile. "And now he had Delaney's attention. He gave a demonstration, to prove he was what he said he was, and suddenly Delaney decided he might be able to spare some money, after all."

Nami frowned. "Just how expensive was this cure? If Callan's still working for this guy, five years later…"

"Or was this a permanent arrangement?" Robin asked. "He sold himself into slavery?"

"Not permanent, no, but…" Anjia's hands twisted in her lap. "The services of people trained by Callan's family don't go cheap. Even at the most skewed rate he could get away with, Delaney couldn't have kept Callan in his employ for more than a month or two. Not for the price of one cure. So he offered Callan a deal."

She ran a hand through her hair. "He would make the trade—but only for the entire town."

"The whole town?" Sanji's cigarette slipped a little, and he hastily clamped his lips around it.

"An all-or-nothing deal," Anjia said. "It isn't such a big place now—and it was even less so back then—but there were still enough people to keep Callan working for that man for the next couple of decades."

"What did he do?" Chopper squeaked.

Anjia smiled sadly. "He would have done anything to keep me safe. And the other people on this island were our friends, too. He didn't want to see any of them die. He made Delaney promise that cures for the entire town meant the _entire town—_ including those who hadn't yet fallen ill—then they drew up a contract, and he signed it. The cure was distributed across the island the next day."

"Did… did you get to see him after that?" Usopp asked. "Before he…left?"

Anjia ran a hand through her hair. "Callan was given a week to say goodbye and make arrangements. We were watched every day to ensure he wouldn't try to run. He wouldn't have. He'd given his word—though if I'd known what Delaney was going to do with him—" She broke off abruptly.

"What happened, Anjia-san?" Brook asked softly.

Anjia closed her eyes for a moment, drawing a deep breath. "Within a week of Callan's departure, his contract had been sublicensed to Greysaber."

"Who's that?" Franky asked. "Haven't heard of them before."

Anjia stared. "You…really aren't from around here, are you? Everyone knows them in this part of the sea—and they're far from unknown in the rest of the world."

"We've…come a long way, yes," Nami said. "We didn't get much news from these parts."

She was getting good at covering up any oddities, Sanji thought. He wouldn't even have noticed the hint of nervousness in her smile if he hadn't known what to look for.

"On the surface, Greysaber presents itself as a military organization with a passion for science," Anjia said. "A group dedicated to order and knowledge. But it's an open secret that the org isn't nearly so clean as it pretends to be. Its members have been involved in kidnappings, assassinations, human experimentation, and so on—and not all of its territory was gained through peaceful means. Some say Greysaber is planning to establish a new world government."

Luffy's expression darkened. "We don't need any more of those."

"Not one like this," Anjia agreed. "But Greysaber knows how to attract people, and its presence is growing every year. The organization operates over most of the islands in this area, and it has connections to influential groups and individuals across the world. It controls several islands directly—particularly Whitestone Island, where its headquarters are located. The leaders are always on the lookout for talented people—in any field—and you can make a lot of money working for them."

She gave a bitter smile. "Of course, what they don't tell you is that if you're an outside contractor—like Callan—you'll usually be given the most dangerous jobs, and you're a lot less likely to make it through your employment safely than a full-fledged member of the org. A lot of people join for real once they figure that out."

"Why don't they just leave?" Luffy asked.

"You don't walk out on a contract with Greysaber. Not if you want to walk anywhere else after that."

Nami suppressed a shiver, and Sanji suppressed an urge to leap up and check on her. No doubt this situation had brought back some unpleasant memories. "Callan, he's…he's still alive, right?" she asked.

Anjia nodded. "He's alive. He's managed to get through five years—without any major injuries, even." A hint of a proud smile curved her lips. "And while he's been focused on staying safe," Anjia met Nami's eyes with a determined look, "I've tried to save as much as I can. With enough money, I can buy out the rest of his contract—so the more I can pay, the sooner he can come home." She looked around at them, a true smile breaking across her face. "And now I can pay it all—thanks to you."

"So do you just go to this guy's house to give him the money?" Luffy asked.

Anjia bit her lip. "I'd prefer to go to Whitestone myself. That's where Delaney's main house is. If I take the money to his staff here, it would be very easy for it to be "lost" on the way to him, or for him to find some way to prevent Callan from leaving."

Usopp looked faintly horrified. "You just got through telling us how terrible these people are, and you want to go walking straight into their main base?"

"Yes." Anjia met his gaze calmly. "It's the best way to ensure Callan's release. And Greysaber doesn't make a habit of harming visitors, providing they follow the rules. It's not good for business."

Sanji's hand found Anjia's again and curled around her fingers in a reassuring squeeze. "Then, allow us to take you there, Anjia-chan." He had felt a twinge of disappointment at learning she was not as single as he had assumed, but no matter. She was a lady, and it was therefore his duty to assist her in any way he could. "Our ship can make the trip easily." He smiled at her. "And I can assure you the food will be good."

"Oi, Sanji!" Luffy's annoyed voice cut in before Anjia could respond. " _I'm_ the captain, so it's _my_ decision to go or not. Right?" He glared at Sanji across the table.

Sanji blinked. "Well…yes, I suppose it is, but—"

"Good." Luffy's mood abruptly switched directions, a wide grin stretching his face. "And as the captain, I say we're going! This place sounds like fun."

"Luffy, it's a military island crawling with soldiers and spies!" Usopp said. "What part of that sounds fun? Were you even listening to the story?"

"Of course I was," Luffy said.

"…You were, weren't you?" Nami said, looking at him with interest. "It's funny—before, you'd have been off playing or sleeping within the first few minutes."

A brief flicker of emotion passed over Luffy's face, gone too quickly to be sure whether it had been simple surprise or something deeper. Then one hand reached up to push down on the worn straw hat. "Yeah…" he said, a lopsided smile plastered on his face. "Lots of stuff is different now, I guess."

"Different from what?" Anjia asked. She and Olin had been watching the exchange. Anjia simply looked interested, but Olin's gaze was more calculating, Sanji noted. They might not have made any truly major slip-ups so far, but it wouldn't be hard for a curious outsider to add things up and realize the crew was hiding something. And Olin was certainly curious.

"It's nothing, Anjia-chan," Sanji said, attempting a casual tone as he stood. "Luffy had a short attention span as a child, that's all—not that he's much better now, really." He helped her to her feet as the rest of the crew stood as well. "Why don't you come back to the ship with us now—I promised you a meal, don't forget. And tomorrow, you can start making whatever arrangements you need to be able to leave. I'd be glad to help in any way I can, of course!"

"My handsome knight to the rescue again, eh?" She laughed. "Thank you, Sanji-san, that sounds wonderful."

 

* * *

 

"So this is her?" Zoro asked.

"Yep! Anjia, this is Zoro. Zoro, this is Anjia. She grows really awesome fruit!" Luffy paused for a moment. "Still not as good as meat, though."

Beneath the dark hood, Zoro rolled his eyes. "Nothing tastes as good as meat to you, Luffy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Zoro." Anjia held out a hand, and Zoro took it briefly. "Though I think your historical counterpart wore something rather different. Ah, not that there's anything wrong with your clothes, of course! It's just that I've read quite a bit about the pirate king's crew, and, well, everyone else seems to be nearly identical, so—"

"Trust me, it wasn't my idea," Zoro said.

"A necessary deviation, Anjia-chan," Sanji said. "This idiot insisted on playing Zoro, you see, and while he's not completely hopeless with swords, his face was just all wrong. We decided the mask was better than having to look at him all day."

Zoro's hand flew to his swords as Anjia laughed uncertainly. "You're the last person who should be talking about anyone's face, damn eyebrow."

Sanji twitched. He shouldn't be arguing in front of a lady; he had better manners than that. But in full view of their guests, Zoro couldn't pull any disappearing acts—he would have to stay solid and kickable. It was so damn tempting—especially after the eyebrow taunt—but… "The ladies adore my face, Marimo," he said with a smirk. "While I can guarantee they would run screaming from you." If they were scared of ghosts, at least—or moss.

"Oh my, now I'm curious," Anjia said, coming closer to try to peer beneath the hood. "Surely it can't be _that_ bad—"

Zoro stepped back hastily. "Of course not," he said, tugging the hood down farther. "But I'll keep it on, if you don't mind."

"If you insist," she said, though the spark of curiosity did not leave her eyes. "Still, whatever you look like, I've probably seen worse. We get all types on this island."

"Anjia, why don't we show you around while Sanji-kun makes dinner?" Nami said brightly, taking the other woman by the arm and leading her toward the stairs. "I'm curious to see how well you think this ship matches the original—I know our shipwright spent a long time on the design, and we're all very proud of it."

"Oh, I'd love to have a look, though I can't say I'm an expert," Anjia said. "There isn't actually that much written about the _Thousand Sunny_ 's design. The figurehead looks right, though, and I do remember reading about the lawn deck, so you seem to be off to a good start."

The two headed up to the second floor, Robin, Brook, and Franky following behind. Zoro stared after them. "That woman's going to be trouble."

 

* * *

 

Shifting restlessly in his seat, Zoro ran his gaze over the page in front of him for the fourth time. The words didn't make themselves any clearer than on his previous attempts, and finally, he shut the book with a growl of disgust, tossing it onto the bench next to him. He hadn't been much of a reader, before, but one needed ways to occupy one's mind when spending centuries with no one to talk to. After he'd made his way through the Sunny's library multiple times—and had occasionally "borrowed" books from the mansion's various occupants—he could almost begin to understand why Robin liked the things so much.

But it wasn't helping him relax tonight, any more than the meditation he had tried earlier. He had retreated to the crow's nest as soon as he could, avoiding the watchful eyes of their guests. Not coming to dinner might seem strange—coming to dinner but not eating would look even odder, if it was noticed. And Anjia would probably notice. The woman was too damn nosy for his liking, and her eyes were sharper than her father's.

A sudden noise from outside caught his attention; someone was on the ladder below. He had long since taken off the concealing clothes, and there was no time to put them back on, so Zoro made himself invisible and waited quietly, watching the hole.

A moment later, a head of messy black hair popped through the opening, and Zoro relaxed as Luffy hauled himself inside. The captain looked around the apparently empty room for a moment. "Zoro?" he called softly. "You're here, right?"

"Yeah." Zoro allowed himself to become visible as he stood from the bench. "Right here."

The smile he received was cheerful, but Zoro could tell Luffy had something on his mind. "Is it okay if I stay up here for a while?" Luffy asked.

"Sure." Zoro picked up his discarded book and returned it to a small shelf on the wall. "You training tonight, or just hanging out?"

Luffy considered for a moment. "I'll train," he said. "I didn't do any yesterday."

Zoro nodded, heading for the exercise equipment. "I'll join you," he said. There was no physical need for him to work out anymore, but the familiar activity was comforting, and he saw no reason to break his old habits. "But go easy tonight, okay? You've already spent the day running all over the island."

Luffy frowned. "I'm fine." Setting his hat carefully on the bench, Luffy crossed the room to join Zoro, moving into one of the warm-up exercises he'd learned. "I'm a lot stronger now. I can handle it."

"Of course." Zoro pulled a couple of the larger weights off their racks, lifting them easily. "But it's important to rest, too. And you know what Chopper's like when you push yourself too much."

"He's just picking on me because he can't yell at you for training too hard anymore."

Zoro snorted. "Hah, maybe. Not sure if I'm relieved or if I might actually miss the nagging."

They trained in silence for a while. After finishing his warm-up, Luffy started his actual workout, and Zoro noticed that he had chosen one of the more challenging routines. Zoro's eyes narrowed. Either Luffy was deliberately being stubborn, or…

"Everything okay, Luffy?"

"Fine." The reply was a little too fast, as though he'd been waiting for Zoro to ask.

Zoro shrugged and returned to his own routine. If something was bothering Luffy, he'd talk about it when he was ready.

* * *

 An hour after they'd started, the equipment had been put away, and Luffy's breathing was starting to return to normal after the intense session. Zoro grabbed a towel that looked more-or-less clean and threw it at him. Luffy caught it and held it to his face, wiping away the sweat. A low chuckle escaped from the soft cloth. "Thanks."

"You needed it." Zoro made a show of sniffing the air. "Probably need a shower, too."

Luffy whacked him with the towel. "You can't even smell me, you jerk."

Zoro grinned. "Maybe not, but I know what Nami will say if you go to bed like that."

Luffy scowled. "Pirates aren't supposed to be clean all the time." He dropped onto the bench, shuffling around so he could look out the window. There was a minute of silence before he spoke again. "It's fun, working out with you."

"Sure. It can be nice to have company sometimes."

"We never did it before."

Zoro shot a glance at Luffy, but the captain wasn't looking at him. "Not like this, no," he said, taking a seat on the bench himself. "You had your own ways of training back then."

Luffy nodded, still staring out the window. "I like stories," he said abruptly.

Zoro raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of subject, but stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"When I was a kid—this time, I mean—I couldn't really go out and see things for myself, or play with other kids. So I looked at books a lot, because then my mind could go on adventures even if the rest of me couldn't, you know?"

"Makes sense."

"I didn't do that before, either," Luffy said. "I never read stuff. Most of the time, I didn't even listen when people were telling stories. It just didn't seem to matter as much then."

"Maybe it didn't."

"Maybe." Luffy reached to the side, picking up the straw hat and looking at it. "Hey, Zoro?" he asked at last.

"What?"

"It's okay, isn't it?" Luffy's fingers rubbed lightly against the woven straw. "For some things to be different? If I like some stuff more than I used to, or I don't always do things the way I did before…"

Zoro looked at him for a moment. "Did something happen?"

"Not really." Luffy's lips twitched into a half-hearted smile. "Just something Nami said reminded me. Ever since we got back, I've been trying to be a good captain, trying to get stronger, so I can be 'Luffy' for everybody, the way you remember. But…" he looked down. "Things keep happening. Little things, mostly, but afterward I realize that _that_ Luffy wouldn't have reacted the way I did—he would have done this other thing instead. And maybe his way was better, or maybe mine is, or maybe it doesn't even matter, but…"

He looked at Zoro. "Is it okay? If me-Luffy isn't always the same as the one you remember?"

Zoro stared back at him for a moment, then with a chuckle, he tugged the straw hat free from Luffy's grasp and shoved it onto his friend's head, pushing it around a little to muss the black hair. "What are you being so dramatic about?" he said. "Of course you've changed. We all have—hell, look at me. But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Weren't you the one who said it would be boring if everything was the same?"

"I know," Luffy said. "But—"

"I haven't seen anything in you that could make me think less of you," Zoro said. "As far as I'm concerned, the person sitting here with me now is just as much Luffy as the man I sailed with all those years ago." He cocked an eyebrow, smirking at his friend. "Now if you suddenly stopped liking _meat_ , I might have to consider mutiny."

Luffy burst into startled laughter, shoving Zoro off the bench. "Shut up, you bastard!"

"I'm serious," Zoro said, rising to his feet. "A love of meat is essential for an authentic Luffy."

Luffy stood, still chuckling. "I guess I'm fine, then."

"Yeah." Zoro's expression became serious again. "Don't spend this life trying to measure up to the last one, Luffy. That story's been told. It's time for us to make a new one. What fun would it be without a little change?"

"Guess you're right," Luffy said. He stretched, yawning.

"Of course I am." Zoro gently pushed Luffy toward the exit. "I'm old and wise and all that shit. Now go take a bath and get to bed."

 

* * *

 

Things went better than Zoro had expected, once they set sail for Whitestone Island. It had been tense at the beginning, but Anjia's curiosity about him seemed to fade after the first few days passed without notable incident. Her interest in the "Legendary Straw Hat Pirates" was as strong as ever, though. She'd even brought along a few books about them, occasionally reading sections aloud to get the crew's opinions or to try to find information they hadn't yet heard.

Well, some of it was certainly new. Zoro definitely didn't remember being in any kind of relationship, much less the sort of intimate involvement one book declared he'd had with Luffy. Sanji had laughed himself sick—at least until Anjia had pulled out another book that suggested something similar had happened between Zoro and _him_. Zoro was also fairly sure that Nami had been neither a secret princess nor an escaped slave. That bit about Usopp being some sort of "power behind the throne" with ties to an underground organization with thousands of members was just plain ridiculous, even if it was easy to see where the story had started. And poor Chopper seemed destined to be forever remembered as a tanuki. How history books could get so many things wrong in just four hundred years, Zoro had no idea.

Still, it was amusing, and the topic made for a good ice-breaker. Within a week, things between the crew and their guests had relaxed to the point that Anjia and her father were beginning to feel like old friends. The weather obliged them with good winds and warm sunny days, which led to a good deal of play or outdoor discussions, depending on the current maturity level of those involved. Luffy was his usual cheerful self, and even the damn cook was being more tolerable than usual.

Everything was going perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding Greysaber's name: the second part has a bit of a double meaning—it obviously refers to the weapon (also spelled sabre), but it's also a reference to the word for "knowledge" or "to know" in several languages (including Spanish and Portugese). That word has a different pronunciation from the weapon saber, so however you want to pronounce "Greysaber" is fine (I've found myself flipping back and forth between them).


	7. Secrets

"I suppose it would—" Usopp broke off with a splutter as a fierce gust of wind sent a spray of sea water crashing over him. "—would have been too much to ask that we get through a trip this long without any storms at all." He coughed, clinging to the rigging for dear life as Sunny's deck heaved.

"It could have waited until after breakfast, at least," Luffy complained—but a familiar grin twitched into view beneath the sodden black hair, and Zoro suspected that not all of Luffy's bouncing was due to the movement of the ship.

"I think I'm rather glad I haven't eaten yet, actually," Olin said, a faint tinge of green coloring his face. He and Anjia had insisted on coming out to help in the storm. Anjia was handling herself fairly well for someone who hadn't sailed much, but Olin hadn't gotten more than a few steps outside before the violent weather had sent him scrambling for the rail. He hadn't let go since.

"Don't worry, this shouldn't last long," Nami said.

"I hope not." Chopper, in Heavy Point to better withstand the storm, carefully picked his way over to the stairs. He looked up at Olin with concern. "Maybe you should go sit down, Olin. We can manage here without you, and I can get you some medicine for—"

Zoro saw it happen as if in slow motion. There was a sharp crack, audible even over the noise of the storm—then a rope that, moments before, had been attached to the rigging came whipping through the air. It caught Chopper squarely across the chest, and before Zoro could blink, the reindeer was sailing through the air. He heard Chopper scream, first in pain, then in fear as the dark water rushed up to meet him. Zoro didn't stop to think; with two quick strides, he took a flying leap off the deck and dived.

He could feel the water pressing in all around him, making it that much harder to hold his solidity—especially with the heavy leather of his clothes dragging him down as well. He ignored it and focused on finding Chopper. He couldn't see much through the murky ocean, but then, he had other ways to look besides his eyes. Concentrating, he sensed a flicker of presence ahead of him, sinking fast. Zoro kicked down hard, and within a minute, his arms were wrapping around Chopper's body, tiny once more after contact with the sea.

Zoro swam for the surface with all his might, grateful he no longer needed air to power his strokes. His body seemed to tingle as he pushed upward, phantom muscles working to cut through the water. They burst into open air moments later. Zoro gasped in reflex before quickly checking the small form in his arms. Chopper was soaking wet and clearly unconscious, but Zoro could see the furry chest moving, and a few weak coughs could be heard. Relaxing slightly, Zoro shifted Chopper to a more stable position before turning to swim back to the ship. They had drifted away during the incident, but Nami had been right: the storm was already beginning to slacken, and Zoro knew he could cover the distance easily enough.

At first focused only on swimming—with the occasional pause to see that Chopper was still doing all right—Zoro eventually became aware of something else pulling at his attention. The tingling sensation he had felt earlier had not disappeared—in fact, he thought it might actually be increasing. He frowned slightly. While he could tell when things were touching him, they were usually dull sensations, as if his skin was slightly numb. This was different—a sharp prickling that ran along his limbs.

Another minute of swimming and Zoro was absolutely certain that the sensation was not simply in his head. The tingling grew stronger with every second, verging into real discomfort now. His ability to handle pain had not improved much since the knife wound, and it took him several extra seconds to shut it out and return all his focus to swimming. He didn't know what would happen if the tingle kept increasing, but he had to get Chopper back to the ship before it did.

* * *

Gasping, Zoro gratefully slapped a hand against the Sunny's side and reached for the rope ladder that the others had lowered. He couldn't remember ever feeling this bad since he'd become a spirit. He felt like he was on fire, stinging needles of sensation on every inch of his body. The sodden leather of his clothes seemed as heavy as a mountain, and the only thing that kept him from ridding himself of the lot was knowing he would lose his grip on Chopper as well.

"Oi, you okay there, Marimo?"

This might, possibly, be one of the very few times he was glad to see the cook, Zoro decided. He carefully shifted Chopper into Sanji's hold, then began hauling himself out of the water. He would get to the crow's nest as quickly as he could. Spending time in his natural intangible form would surely help to stop the burning pain—it had worked with the knife wound, after all.

Halfway up to the deck, Zoro suddenly found his way blocked, a damp black shoe pressing down on the top of his head. Shoving it aside, he scowled up at Sanji. "You got a problem, Curlybrow?"

"No." Sanji bent down as much as he could, voice low and urgent. " _You_ do, Marimo. Get yourself covered before we get any closer!"

The foot jabbed at him again, shoving at his coat. Zoro looked down and realized how far the garment had slipped. It drooped against his arms, the hood flapping wetly against his lower back. The scarf and mask were nowhere to be seen, leaving his entire head clearly visible. With a muttered curse, Zoro pulled the leather back around him, tugging the hood down as far as it would go.

"And ease up on the glowing, will you?" Sanji added, straightening. "You look like a damn lightbulb—I can see you from here."

 _What?_ Zoro knew he gave off a faint light, but for Sanji to see it underneath the hood, in daylight and from several feet above him… He pushed back one of his sleeves a little and inspected his arm. Sanji was right, it _was_ much brighter than normal, but—

His arm was speckled. There were pinpricks of bright silver dotted everywhere on his skin, and Zoro had no doubt that they were related to the tingling fire coursing through him. _What the hell?_ His urge to get on the ship and out of the clothes redoubled and he yanked the sleeve back into place. "Get moving, cook," he snapped. "Chopper needs to get dry."

Sanji glared but resumed his climb, and a minute later they were on Sunny's deck, Brook and Usopp standing ready with blankets for Chopper. Holding tightly to the rail, Zoro took another look at the reindeer to reassure himself that Chopper was really okay, then turned to make his way to the crow's nest. A wave of dizziness swept over him and he stumbled. Maybe he would go the aquarium bar instead—it was closer.

"You okay, Zoro-bro?" Franky's voice sounded far away, and it took Zoro a few seconds to form a reply as he began dragging himself toward a door that abruptly seemed much too distant.

"Fine," he said, forcing the words past clenched teeth. "I just—just need to—"

His vision dimmed as another twinge of fiery pain slammed through him. It was horribly strong, and his body abruptly decided that it would not wait any longer for relief. With a squelching thud, a pile of wet leather and cloth fell to the deck as his solidity vanished.

For a moment, everything around him was black. When Zoro returned to awareness, he quickly noticed two things. First, though the burning sensation was still present, the pain had lessened somewhat, and he no longer felt so dizzy.

And second, there were several voices coming from behind him, most carrying a distinct tone of shock.

Squaring his shoulders, Zoro turned around. The expressions of his crew mates were varied. He could see concern, horror, and furious disbelief on their faces. But his gaze was drawn to the two people standing in the middle of the group. Olin's eyes were wide in wonder and surprise, his mouth slightly open. Anjia, however, was pale and trembling, one hand clutching at her father for support.

_Well, shit._

 

* * *

 

"What—" Anjia swallowed hard, arms clasped tightly around herself as she stared at the mug of tea Sanji had prepared for her. "What is he?" Her voice was dry and raspy, and there was a tenseness about her face that told the cook she already suspected the answer.

Their two guests had been promptly hurried inside, the rest of the crew following after Zoro had made it clear that he would be fine for the moment and wanted to be left alone. Even Luffy had backed off for now, though Sanji was sure the captain would be paying Zoro a visit later. _He_ certainly intended to. The marimo had a lot of explaining to do.

"We know it's not a devil fruit," Olin said. The arm he had wrapped around Anjia's shoulders was trembling slightly, but unlike his daughter, he did not appear to be especially afraid. "It can't be, or he couldn't have rescued your doctor." He looked intently from one face to the next, trying to pick up any clues.

"It doesn't matter what he is," Nami said. "You paid us to give you a ride, not to share our secrets. It's our business."

"Please." Anjia looked up, focusing her gaze on Nami. "If—if he's what I think he is, I—" She drew a deep breath. "I need to know. Please."

"And what do you think he is, Anjia?" Robin asked quietly.

"I—" Her hands tightened on her elbows. "He…he looks…he looked like a—like a—" She swallowed again, eyes darting down for a moment before rising to meet Robin's gaze. "Like a ghost," she whispered at last.

The Straw Hats looked at each other. They could try to come up with an explanation. They could say nothing at all—as Nami had said, it was their business. But finding a rational way to explain Zoro on such short notice would be difficult, especially trying to coordinate stories between nine people without their guests growing suspicious. And if they refused to answer, Olin and Anjia would be free to come up with their own theories—which might be even worse than the truth—and rumors would spread.

Luffy decided things. "Zoro is Zoro," he said. "And he's a good guy. You don't have to be scared of him just because he's a spirit."

Anjia stiffened, the last hints of color draining from her face.

Olin leaned forward to look at Luffy. "Then, if he's a… I only saw him briefly, but his appearance… Is he—was he the real Roronoa Zoro?"

"He is," Robin said.

Olin shook his head in astonishment. "Incredible. And what of the rest of you? You seem to be as much flesh-and-blood as we are. But your resemblance to that famous crew…it cannot be a coincidence. Not with…" He shot a wide-eyed glance at the door leading out to the deck.

"Ah. That's kind of a long story," Luffy said, rubbing his nose. "Hey, Sanji, we need storytelling snacks!"

Sanji considered a snappy retort, then remembered that they hadn't actually had breakfast yet. Besides, it would feel good to be doing something. And perhaps some comforting food would help calm Anjia down. So he contented himself with a light kick to his captain's head as he made his way to the kitchen.

Nami sighed. "Well, I guess there's no helping it now."

"Right." Luffy grinned, then turned to Olin and Anjia. "Oh, but you can't tell anyone, okay? It's a secret."

"I had guessed as much," Olin said with a wry smile.

"Why don't you tell them about it, Robin?" Luffy said. "You're good at stories."

"Very well, captain," Robin said. "Though you'll have to help me with some of it."

"Okay," Luffy agreed.

Robin took a sip of tea. "Have either of you heard what became of Monkey D. Luffy, after he gained the title of pirate king?"

Somewhat surprisingly, it was Anjia who answered. "No," she said. "There are lots of theories, but nothing's ever been proven." Her voice was quiet, and the fear had not left her eyes, but her breathing had calmed a little and she seemed more in control.

"That's to be expected, I suppose," Robin said. "Only one person ever really knew…Your story started with an orchard, Anjia. You could say that this one begins with a portal…"

 

* * *

 

"Oi, Marimo, you in here?" Sanji called as he reached the top of the ladder into the crow's nest. Chopper scrambled in a moment later, with Luffy coming last.

"What if he got worse?" Chopper said after the silence had stretched for nearly a minute. "What if"—his voice edged into a wail—"what if whatever was happening to him made him disappear for good?"

Luffy shook his head. "He's still here." He looked around the room, concentrating. Slowly, his head swiveled upward. "I think he's on the roof." He drew a deep breath. "Oi, Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "Come down!"

After a moment, there was a sigh and Zoro flickered into view across the room. "What, Luffy?" He sounded tired.

"You know damn well what." Sanji strode across the room, finger pointed accusingly at Zoro. "What the hell happened out there today, Marimo? A slip-up like that puts us all in danger. You're damn lucky Anjia-chan and her father have agreed to keep this all secret."

Zoro gritted his teeth. "You think I don't know that?"

"Then explain why you decided to drop the damn clothes in front of everyone."

"I decided shit!" Zoro snapped. He looked away from Sanji. "Something happened when I went in the water."

"Like what?" Luffy asked.

"I don't…I don't know." Zoro began pacing, one hand running through his hair. "It was like that time with the knife."

"What?" Chopper squeaked in alarm. "But…you weren't injured, right?"

"Of course not! And it wasn't in one spot this time; it was all over my body. I could hardly feel it at first, but by the time I got back to the ship I could barely move."

"Let me take a look," Chopper said. "Maybe I can find out something this time."

After only a few seconds of hesitation, Zoro sat down and allowed Chopper to examine him without further argument. Sanji raised an eyebrow. _The marimo must actually be worried about this,_ he thought. _Well, if it happens when we're in the middle of a town or something…_ He stepped closer to take a look for himself.

Though not as bright as he had been when they were climbing the rope ladder, Zoro still seemed to be glowing more strongly than they had seen before. Up close, Sanji could see that the ghostly skin was dotted with thousands of bright silver specks, and—

He frowned. It was hard to tell with all those little bits of light, but the rest of Zoro's skin seemed even less substantial than normal.

Chopper was frowning, too, and a moment later asked Zoro to try becoming tangible for a moment. Zoro complied, and an instant later let slip a soft hiss of discomfort, the specks brightening slightly.

"Does it hurt?" Chopper asked anxiously.

"I'm fine," Zoro said.

"Answer the damn question, shitty ghost," Sanji said.

Zoro threw Sanji a glare before pointedly turning away from him and focusing on Chopper. "It got a bit stronger again when I went solid. I've felt worse."

Chopper nodded. "And how does this feel?" He reached out with one hoof and cautiously prodded Zoro in the arm.

Zoro hissed again and jerked his arm away. "It doesn't feel _good_ , if that's what you were wondering."

"But you can feel it? I mean, really _feel_ it, not just, you know…"

Zoro gingerly rubbed his arm. "Yeah."

"But it was feeling better when you weren't solid?"

"Yeah. It started fading just like the knife wound did."

Chopper sighed. "I don't know, Zoro. I have to find out more about this, somehow. But for now, no more swimming, and don't try going solid again until those specks are completely gone."

The specks dimmed slightly as Zoro relaxed back into intangibility. "Sure. Just as long as you don't need saving again."

"If he does, _I'll_ get him next time," Sanji said. He was tempted to throw in a kick for emphasis, but restrained himself. "Or Franky will. Or Usopp. There are plenty of people on this ship besides you that can swim."

"And me too!" Luffy said. "I can save Chopper or anybody else, so don't worry, Zoro."

"Luffy, the best thing that can be said about your swimming skills is that you can't beat a rock in a sinking contest anymore," Sanji said. "We don't need you trying to jump in and save people."

Luffy pouted. "I could do it."

"Well, don't go looking for excuses to try it," Zoro grumbled. "Now if that's all, I'd like to be alone for a while."

"Oh. Okay." Luffy walked over to the hole, but turned back just before stepping onto the ladder. "Are you sure you'll be all right, Zoro?"

"Yeah." Zoro met his captain's gaze calmly. "It's going away now. I'll be fine, Luffy."

They looked at each other for a long moment, then Luffy nodded, satisfied, and gave Zoro a smile. "Okay. See you later, Zoro!" And grabbing the sides of the ladder, Luffy slid out of sight.

"Let me know if anything changes, okay?" Chopper said as he trotted toward the ladder. "Even if you don't think it's important," he added with a stern look.

"All right, I got it," Zoro said, waving him off.

Sanji snorted, following Chopper without further comment.

"Hey, Sanji," Luffy said once they were back on the deck. "Are you going to start dinner now?"

"You just ate, shitty captain," Sanji said. "And no. Dinner's not for a few more hours."

"Aww." Luffy pouted. "What about lunch, then? Or you could play a game with Usopp and me."

Sanji looked up at the crow's nest, then turned, heading for the men's quarters. "Not right now, Luffy," he said. "I've got some reading to do."

 

* * *

 

Brook made his way down the stairs, breathing in the cool evening air. A bath after the day's excitement had been just what he needed. He thought of his violin. Well, perhaps that and some music.

He stepped onto the lawn deck—and stopped as he caught sight of a slim figure standing against the rail. Anjia was staring out at the water, arms still wrapped around herself. Whether the gesture was from fear or simply a reaction to the cold, he didn't know. Probably both. He considered making a quiet retreat, but she had most likely already heard him coming, and he was curious about how she was feeling now that she'd had some time to digest the incredible story. He approached cautiously.

"Good evening, Anjia-san." He drew to a halt a few feet away.

Anjia flinched slightly, then slowly turned just enough to give him a quick nod.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm…I'm fine," she said.

They stood in an uneasy silence for a minute or two, Brook tilting his head a little as he watched her. "Are you afraid of us, Anjia-san?" he asked at last.

She bit her lip, turning back to look at the sea. "No. Not of you, really. But—" She broke off, shaking her head.

"But the idea bothers you." He hesitated. "And perhaps Zoro-san in particular?"

Her flinch was more pronounced this time. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "It's just…I told you before, I can't…" She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. "I don't handle death, or anything relating to it, very well. Ghosts"—she stumbled over the word—"are something that's always terrified me, even when I wasn't sure they really existed. Now that I know they do…" She gave a nervous laugh. "After everything you've all told me today, I'm barely holding myself together."

"I understand, Anjia-san. I've felt much the same about ghosts myself. It took me some time to get used to Zoro-san, though it helped that I had known him as a human." Brook laughed quietly. "I suppose if you had met us during our first lives, I would have been the one to frighten you. Though it was actually the second life for me, yohohoho!"

She gave him a weak smile. "You—you weren't my favorite Straw Hat, no. No offense."

"None taken. To tell you the truth, I scared myself at times." He moved closer to lean against the rail. "It's easier to simply run from things that scare you, but I didn't have that option. I had to find other ways to deal with my fear." He looked at her. "And so have you, I think."

Her mouth twisted slightly. "There aren't a lot of places to run to on a ship."

"True," he said, "but I meant the things you told us of the sickness that came to your island."

Anjia stiffened.

"You said your fear extends to illnesses too, Anjia-san. But even so, you didn't abandon your island. You have been gravely ill yourself, and you moved on and focused on helping another, rather than letting the memory of the experience control you. The more you face the things that scare you, the easier it will become." He flashed her a smile. "At least that's what I keep telling myself, yohohoho!"

"I…I'll try." Anjia said. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"It might be a bit far to swim to the nearest island." Brook chuckled. "I suppose you could remain in the women's quarters for the rest of the voyage, but I imagine it would be quite dull after a while."

"It probably would."

"I believe Luffy-san and the others would be quite willing to share stories with you," he said. "I think you'll find the truth differs from your history books in several places."

She drew in a breath, and Brook could almost see the spark of interest run through her. "I'd like that," Anjia said. She straightened, pushing off from the rail. "For now, though, I think I'll head to bed."

"I believe that's an excellent idea. A good night's rest is always helpful."

"I hope so." She smiled at him. "Thank you for the advice, Brook."

"Anytime, Anjia-san!" She walked off, and he was pleased to see that her posture was not quite as rigid as before. She was about to reach the stairs when he called out. "Ah, Anjia-san? May I ask you one more thing?"

She turned. "What is it?"

"May I see your panties?"

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Nami reported that they probably shouldn't expect Anjia to join them for breakfast that day, as she had finally fallen asleep only a few hours before. No sooner had the words left her mouth, however, when the door opened and Anjia stepped into the galley. She shut the door quickly behind her and looked up, freezing as she caught sight of Zoro, who was lounging on the dining room couch, visible in all his ghostly glory.

Anjia swallowed hard, her hand making an involuntary flutter toward the door she'd just closed. Taking a deep breath, she slowly returned the hand to her side, fingers clenching into determined fists as she eased forward. "You—" Her voice was a soft whisper in the wide room, but silence had fallen the moment she had entered and no one had any trouble making out the words. "You're not wearing the clothes today." Her eyes were darting around the room, flicking back to Zoro every couple of seconds.

"Nah." Zoro shrugged. "Not much point, now you know. It's not like I wear them because I enjoy it."

"I…I see." She had tensed further as he spoke, but made it far enough into the dining room to hesitantly sit down in a seat as far away from Zoro as she could manage. Olin smiled warmly at her from a chair much nearer the couch. Sanji immediately brought her coffee and generally did his best to make her comfortable. She thanked him, absently stirring sugar into the hot liquid.

"So, guess you were wrong," Zoro said.

Anjia jumped slightly and looked in his direction. "Wrong…?"

"Yeah." Zoro folded his arms, looking at her with amusement. "Let's see…I think your exact words were, 'whatever you look like, I've probably seen worse.'" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to take a guess that no one you met on that island got this kind of reaction from you before."

Anjia blushed slightly, gaze dropping back to her cup. "No. I…sorry."

"Of course, Swirlybrow over there was wrong, too," Zoro continued, "so at least you have company."

"Oh?" Sanji leaned over the counter, eyebrow twitching as he attempted to look bored. "And in your _opinion_ , Marimo, what exactly I was wrong about?"

Zoro gestured at Anjia. "I don't see her running away screaming, do you?"

Sanji sent the swordsman a withering glare. "It was a general statement, shitty ghost. It's not invalidated just because Anjia-chan is brave enough to be in the same room with your freaky ass."

Zoro snorted. "Whatever you say, brat." He leaned back, closing his eye as he folded his arms behind his head.

"Why, you—" Sanji stormed around the counter, striding over to the couch. "Stop calling me that! We were the same age, damn it!"

Zoro opened his eye and grinned up at Sanji. "We _were_."

Sanji's leg snapped out almost on its own. To his slight surprise, Zoro did not remain intangible; instead, he caught the kick easily and held the leg fast. "So, you're finally admitting that you're a shitty old man, eh, Marimo?" Sanji huffed as he struggled to pull free for a new attack.

A translucent green eyebrow twitched. "With age comes wisdom," Zoro said. "And you should learn to respect your elders, _brat_."

"Like hell." Growling, Sanji pushed off the floor with his free leg, twisting in Zoro's grip to bring his foot rocketing toward the swordsman's side. At the last second, Zoro dropped his solidity. Abruptly deprived of both support and resistance, Sanji's kick spun him in a circle before he hit the floor, barely managing to turn the fall into a sloppy handstand.

"What the fuck was that?" Sanji demanded as he regained his feet. "If you're going to fight, fight fair, shithead!"

"Thought you wouldn't want to look _too_ bad in front of the guests," Zoro said, smirking. "Though if you insist…"

Sanji's expression changed slightly, taking on a small smirk of its own. "Just name the time and place. It's long past time my feet got reacquainted with your ass."

"Are you _quite_ sure the two of them were never involved?" Olin asked Nami. "Because I must say…"

" _Hell_ no." Zoro shot to his feet, throwing Sanji a disgusted look. "Me and the love-cook? I'd rather die." He paused. "Again."

"That's my line," Sanji said. A hand churned through his blond hair as he stomped back to the kitchen. "The fuck were those shitty historians drinking when they came up with that crap?"

A soft burst of laughter hit his ears and he spun around to see Anjia stifling a giggle. "I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't laugh, I know. I'd probably be upset, too. But, well… I've watched you two arguing the entire trip, and if I didn't know any better…" She forced down another chuckle.

Zoro looked revolted but Sanji could feel a small smile tugging at his lips. He hadn't seen Anjia so relaxed since yesterday morning. If talking about some bullshit rumors helped her get over her fear, well…he'd put up with it for now. Doing his best to shrug off his irritation, he returned to cooking.

Olin, meanwhile, had left his seat and was circling Zoro, fascination written clear across his face. Zoro had already been firmly entrenched on the couch when he had come in, and this was the first chance Olin had had to get a close look at the ghost. Zoro's expression was full of uneasy irritation, head twisting to watch the man. "What?" he finally snapped.

Olin shook his head. "It's incredible," he said. "I've heard stories, but I never thought I would have a chance to see a spirit up close…" He leaned forward, raising a hand to his chin. "What is it like? Clearly you can see, hear, and speak—"

"Unfortunately," Sanji muttered, earning another glare from Zoro.

"—but what about the other senses? Do you smell anything? Is it possible for you to eat or drink? I've heard a lot of conflicting stories about that one. And do you sleep at all?"

"He doesn't poop," Luffy chipped in helpfully. "I already asked."

"Oi, Luffy!" Zoro's face was flushing a silvery red. "He doesn't need to know that!"

"Oh, I don't mind at all," Olin said. "I'd be happy to listen to anything you're willing to tell me."

"He doesn't sleep," Sanji called from the kitchen. "Doesn't eat or drink, either. Some stories say ghosts like to eat lemons, but that's just some idiot getting his facts mixed up. They can smell lemons and other citrus fruit, though, and that's usually _all_ they can smell, so they tend to get pretty attached to the things." He jerked a thumb at Zoro. "This one's out there burying his nose in Nami-san's mikan trees at least once a week."

"I am not!" Zoro snapped, face brighter than ever. "And since when are you such an expert, Swirlybrow?"

Sanji went still, struggling to control his expression. _Whoops._ He shrugged. "You're not that good at being mysterious, Marimo. Anyone could pick up most of this after living with you for a few months."

"At any rate," Olin said, heading off another angry response from Zoro, "I'm especially interested in your ability to touch things. Most ghosts can't, from what I've read."

"Zoro said it's really hard." Luffy grinned. "Those other ghosts probably weren't as good as he is at this stuff."

Olin nodded. "So you can touch anything in the physical world when you choose to? And otherwise, you're just…" He put out a hand, waving it through Zoro's body.

"Oi!" In an instant, Zoro was gone, reappearing at the far side of the room. "Keep your hands to yourself."

"Oh…oh dear." Olin looked abashed. "I'm sorry, that was very rude, wasn't it? I'm afraid I have an unfortunate habit of getting overexcited around new things."

"He does," Anjia said. "I remember when I was ten and we got a dog for the first time. Dad wouldn't leave the poor thing alone. He must have bought out half the pet shops on the island, trying every single toy and brush and bed and type of food to see how she reacted to each one."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Are you comparing me to a dog?"

Anjia paled. "N-no, of course not! I just meant—"

"I know what you meant." Zoro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Forget it."

"So what will you do after you have finished helping us?" Olin asked, breaking the awkward silence. "Do you intend to reclaim the title of pirate king? Or will you hide your existence from the world forever?"

"Of course we're not going to hide forever," Luffy said. "But we're not as strong as we were—well, except Zoro—so it might be kind of bad if people found out before we're ready." Sanji began bringing food to the table and Luffy eagerly reached for the nearest plate. "So we're trying to get our powers back—plus training and all that stuff."

"Ah, of course." Olin glanced to Chopper. "No wonder you were so interested in knowing which fruit I had."

Chopper blushed a little. "I'm glad you had it, Olin," he said. "It's really great to have my powers again."

"And if you happen to hear about any of the others—" Robin said.

"We'll let you know," Anjia said. "Of course." She tapped a finger against her lips, thinking. "It's possible there could be one at Whitestone, actually."

"Really?" Nami leaned forward.

"Yes. Greysaber specializes in high-tech weaponry, but they do research into all kinds of things—including devil fruit." She looked up. "If nothing else, they would be interested in taking them to sell for profit. I would be surprised if there weren't at least a few on the island."

"How exciting!" Brook sprang from his chair. "Maybe mine will be there, yohohoho!" He raised his violin and played a few notes, but sat back down quickly when he saw Luffy's hand sneaking toward his plate.

"I'm more interested in this high-tech weaponry," Franky said, grinning. "Might have to pay them a little visit when we get there." He cleared the rest of his plate in a few large bites and stood, stretching. "I'm gonna get back to work."

"When are you going to tell us what you're doing in there, Franky?" Nami asked.

"When it's finished," Franky said over his shoulder. "Shouldn't be long now. Don't worry, it's gonna be _super_." With that, he left the room.

Nami sighed. "I just hope it's not too embarrassing, whatever it is."


	8. Ghost Wrangling

Sanji let out a sigh of pleasure as he slid deeper into the hot water. Really, there was nothing like a bath after a long day. Or in this case, a long week—mostly thanks to a certain green-haired ghost.

In spite of his earlier anger, he had been almost relieved when Zoro had been found out. He didn't like keeping secrets from beautiful ladies, and there was no doubt the atmosphere was more relaxed now that they had nothing to hide. Anjia was still a bit uneasy around Zoro, but the more time passed, the less the ghost's presence seemed to affect her, especially once the crew began talking about their adventures. Storytime had become a several-times-daily occurrence, Anjia turning out to be almost as bad as her father when it came to asking questions. Overall, things were better now. But there was one serious drawback to having Zoro's secret out in the open—he no longer had to hold back with regard to his abilities.

It had been all too easy for Sanji to slide back into the same adversarial friendship he had enjoyed with Zoro before, but none of them were the same as they'd been, and that was perhaps especially true for Zoro. Unlike the rest of them, he remembered—had lived, in one way or another—all those years between "then" and "now".

Most of the time, he was just Zoro, the same loyal, seaweed-headed, idiot swordsman with no sense of direction that they remembered—freaky ghost powers aside. Every so often, though, Zoro would do or say something that gave away just how much he'd seen, even stuck on an island as he'd been, and Sanji would have to remind himself that Zoro wasn't actually an idiot about everything, especially now.

And then there were the other times. The times where Zoro could be downright childish, with a sense of humor that seemed to have grown considerably over the years. Sanji's book had mentioned that people often grew more mischievous after becoming ghosts, and he could say without a doubt that it was true in Zoro's case. At least when it came to him.

Zoro seemed to be celebrating the return of his freedom by indulging in this side of himself more than he ever had before, and Sanji was his favorite target. With all the strange noises and sudden appearances he'd had to put up with over the past week, Sanji was rather impressed with himself for remaining patient this long—and grateful that Zoro didn't seem to know _all_ the tricks the book said ghosts could do.

Still, though…he had a pretty good grasp of the book's contents by now, and everyone's patience had limits. He smirked. It might be about time to put his newfound knowledge to use.

Sanji stretched and carefully stood to make his way out of the tub. The air was surprisingly chilly for a bath, and after a moment, he slid back into the water, deciding to stay just a little longer to get as warm as possible before leaving.

A few minutes later, Sanji stood for the second time. The air seemed even colder than before, and he felt a shiver run up his spine as he prepared to step out. Lifting his foot, he hesitated, then sighed and lowered himself back in. What did a few more minutes matter? He would get warm again, then move so fast that he'd be wrapped in a big towel and halfway dressed before he could even notice the temperature.

On his third attempt, Sanji pressed close to the edge of the tub, gathering himself to spring. He jumped up, threw a leg over the side of the tub—and sucked in a gasp as he was met with frigid air that could have come off an arctic mountain. His foot landed on the floor of the bathhouse and slipped, sending him crashing back into the water with a yelp.

Sanji coughed and sat up in the tub, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. Gingerly, he peered over the side of the tub, looking at the floor where he'd slipped. Something glittered. Sanji reached out an arm—shivering at the chill—and brushed his fingers against the substance. _Ice._ Sanji drew back his hand in surprise. _How the_ hell _can there be ice in here? It's a bathhouse, for fuck's sake!_ The temperature had been perfectly normal when he'd arrived. And for it to drop so fast, while the bathwater remained as warm as ever…something strange was going on.

_Something strange…_ Sanji's eyes flew wide. _Wait. Wait just a damn minute._ Only the other day, he'd read a passage in the book which said that most ghosts could control the temperature in the area around them. Especially to make it colder. His eyes narrowed. _That bastard._ Apparently Zoro _did_ know at least one trick he hadn't told them about. "Oi, very funny, Marimo!" he shouted into the seemingly empty room.

"I know it's you doing this, shitty ghost," he called a few moments later. "Knock it off right now, or I swear…" he let the threat trail into silence. Still there was no response, and Sanji felt his lips thin. "All right, if that's the way you want it, fine," he said. Steeling himself, Sanji shot out of the bath as fast as he could while still being mindful of the icy patches dotting his path.

He was shivering before he'd gone two steps. The frosty floor was quickly numbing his feet, and his breath came out in a cloud of mist. Teeth chattering, Sanji flung a towel around himself and grabbed for his clothes. He directed a stream of muttered curses at Zoro all the while.

Gasping, still carrying his coat and tie, Sanji burst out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. The difference in temperature was immediately noticeable. It had been an average day, a bit on the cool side if anything, but to Sanji it felt like walking onto a tropical beach.

"Sanji?" Usopp was standing at the sink. Warm water gushed unnoticed as he stared at the shivering blond. "You okay?"

"I'm shitty fantastic," Sanji muttered, slipping on his coat and making for the exit before Usopp could ask anything else. "You probably shouldn't go in the bath for a while."

At the bottom of the ladder he found Nami, Robin and Anjia chatting in the library. As he came into view, they stopped talking and stared at him.

"Sanji-kun…is everything all right?" Nami peered closer. "Is that…an _icicle_ in your hair?"

Sanji forced a smile onto his face. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about, Nami-swan! Just spent a little too long in the bath, that's all!" He hastily exited the room before they could inquire further. Outside, he ran his hands through his hair, shaking loose any stray bits of ice. A soft laugh echoed through the air. Unable to tell its exact location, Sanji picked a suitably threatening patch of empty air and fixed it with a heated glare. "All right, that's it, Marimo," he said. "Starting tomorrow, it's _my_ turn."

A dry voice came from behind him. "Fair enough. _If_ you can actually do anything to back it up."

Sanji spun around to face Zoro. Abruptly, he grinned. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

 

* * *

 

The damn cook was _whistling_.

Zoro glared suspiciously at the back of the blond head as it bobbed around the kitchen. He shouldn't be worried—unless he allowed the cook to touch him, Sanji couldn't do much more than be annoying. Of course, he was doing a fine job of _that_ so far, Zoro reflected, raising a hand to his nose.

Lime muffins. Mikan crepes. Lemon eggs. The bastard had even made a citrus glaze for the meat. And of course there was every kind of citrus jam and marmalade you could ask for. Juice, too. Freshly squeezed. The combined scents had Zoro's head spinning. He could have simply left, he knew. But that would have given Sanji a victory, and Zoro wasn't going to hand it to him this easily. He folded his arms and redoubled his glare.

"Anything wrong, Marimo? Do you need something?"

Oh. And he was being polite. Zoro had arrived in the galley early, which usually had the cook snapping at him to leave while fuming at his inability to remove Zoro by force. Today, Sanji had greeted him almost as nicely as if he were one of the ladies. And he continued to play the gracious host, whatever Zoro did. Yes, Sanji was definitely Up To Something.

The edge of a growl forced its way past Zoro's clenched teeth. "No," he said. "Nothing."

"All right," Sanji returned to the food. "But if there's anything I can get you, just let me know."

Zoro twitched. "Is this your idea of a counterattack?" he burst out suddenly. "Being _nice_ to me? Filling the room with things I can smell?"

Sanji shrugged and gave Zoro an apologetic smile. "Nami-san allowed me to use some of her precious mikans today. I wasn't going to let the opportunity go to waste." He paused, and for an instant his friendly demeanor slipped, the smile shifting to a mischievous grin. "I deeply apologize if it bothers you." Then he spun back to the oven, leaving Zoro more unsettled than ever.

Eventually, Sanji finished cooking and called the others to come eat. Zoro watched as they attacked the food with relish.

"So yummy, Sanji!" Luffy shouted through a mouthful of food.

"I agree, it's wonderful," Robin said.

"So sweet!" Chopper said happily as he munched on a pastry.

"I wouldn't mind a bit more variety in taste," Usopp said, though he was working his way through a loaded plateful with no difficulty. He quickly looked up at Sanji. "Er—not that the food isn't great as always, of course!"

"I don't mind it at all," Nami said. "You should do this more often, Sanji-kun."

"Of course!" Sanji said. "I'll pick up some more fruit the next time we resupply. We can have it every day if you want it."

"Hell no," Zoro said.

Sanji smirked at him. "I don't think you get a vote in the matter, Marimo. It's not like you'll be eating it."

"I can still smell it, asshole," Zoro growled. "And it smells just as shitty as everything else you make."

Sanji took a few steps around the end of the counter, closing the distance between them. "From you, that's almost a compliment."

"Tch, you sure you didn't hit your head too hard in the bath yesterday, cook?"

Sanji twitched, glancing quickly over to the three girls sitting at the table. "I don't know what you're talking about." Hands in pockets, he fixed Zoro with a glare.

"Oh?" Zoro was almost relaxed, now that he was finally getting something close to a normal reaction from Sanji. "I don't know why you're so concerned about the others knowing. It's not the first time you've made a fool of yourself."

The cigarette in Sanji's mouth trembled as he bit down, gritting his teeth. "I suggest you shut the hell up, shitty ghost."

Zoro grinned. "And what _exactly_ will you do if I don't, shitty cook?"

Sanji shrugged. "Well, if you're so damn curious…"

He moved in an instant, one black-clad leg whipping directly at Zoro. Zoro let it come. The cook had done this a thousand times since recovering his memories, and it always ended the same way, aside from the times Zoro chose to fight him.

The next moment, there was a stunning pain in his side, and Zoro felt himself flying across the room. He passed straight through the wall and out over the water before finally managing to come to a stop several ship lengths away from Sunny. For a long moment he simply hung in the air, stunned. _What was that? What the fuck just happened?_ He had been intangible, he was sure of it. How the _hell_ had the cook managed to…? He put a hand to his side. He could still feel it—a tingling pain radiating from the spot where Sanji's foot had, impossibly, touched him.

He took a few more seconds to collect himself, and then he was back in the galley, doing his best to appear confident. The shocked expressions of nearly everyone in the room didn't help, but he tried to ignore them, focusing on Sanji. "Oi, Cook. What the hell did you do?"

Sanji, wearing an infuriatingly smug grin, leaned back against the counter. "I kicked you. Don't tell me you've forgotten what a kick feels like, Marimo."

"That's not what I mean!" The fragile threads of Zoro's composure were quickly disintegrating. "How the fuck did you touch me?"

Sanji chuckled. "Ah, right, I suppose you would be curious about that. It's simple, really." Slowly, he lifted one leg into the air. "I found your weakness, shitty ghost."

"What…?"

"Look closer," Sanji said, waving a black shoe at Zoro.

Zoro took a reluctant step closer, bending down to peer at Sanji's leg. It looked the same as always— _N_ _o, wait._ Zoro furrowed his brow. The cook's shoes, usually as immaculate as the rest of him, were covered in white specks. There were some on the black pants as well. What _was_ that?

"Salt, Marimo." Sanji lowered his leg and straightened. "It can touch a ghost even if they're intangible, and contact with it causes pain." He tapped the toe of his shoe against the floor. "Heh. Should have thought of it sooner. We already knew it worked on zombies, after all."

Zoro stared. "Salt…?"

Sanji's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Oh, didn't you know? Then again, I suppose if you had, you would have known better than to go for a swim in fucking _salt water_ , wouldn't you?"

"I…" Zoro's mind was reeling. "I've been in the ocean before!" he said. "It never affected me like that!"

"You were never in for very long, though, right?" Sanji said. "Water dilutes the effect, so it takes longer for you to feel anything."

"How…" He swallowed. "How the hell do you know all this?"

"Books are very useful things, Marimo." Sanji strode over to the stove and began making a fresh pot of coffee. "You can find out just about anything if you can get your hands on the right one." He turned to face Zoro, blowing out a long stream of smoke. "Including how to deal with shitty ghosts that get a bit too full of themselves."

"A…book?" Zoro repeated dumbly. "You found a book about"—one hand waved vaguely at his body—"this?"

Anjia gasped. "The day we met—in the bookstore! You were buying—" She broke off, staring at Zoro. "You said it was for a friend."

"Ah, yes." Sanji smiled at her. "My apologies for not being entirely truthful, Anjia-chan. The book is mine, though I'll be sharing information as needed with my 'friend' here." He turned back to Zoro. "By the way, that knife wound you got back on the island where we met Olin? I'm guessing the blade was plated with either iron or silver. Those are weaknesses, too."

Slowly, Zoro gathered his thoughts. He dragged his mind back to that day, saw the flash of a blade in the sunlight. "…Silver," he finally said. "It…looked silver."

"That'd do it, then." Sanji raised an eyebrow. "You seriously didn't know any of this? You've only been a fucking ghost for three hundred years! Didn't you try to find out _anything_?"

"It—" Zoro's mouth felt dry for the first time since he'd had a physical body. "It never mattered," he said. "As long as I was there when you all came back…as long as I could still hold my swords…the rest of it never mattered to me."

"It should have, you idiot. You've been injured twice already because you didn't know what to look out for. And not even from anyone specifically out to take down a ghost! If someone attacked you knowing what you were, and you were as clueless as you've been up to now, what exactly do you think would happen?"

The cook was right. Zoro had thought he'd had a pretty good understanding of his situation. Hell, he should have been the expert on anything to do with spirits. Instead, he'd been caught flat-footed by Sanji with one book and a few days of research. Silver? Salt? He'd never known, never even thought about stuff like that being dangerous to him. What else was there? Fighting off a sudden sense of vulnerability, Zoro let himself slip into a more familiar emotion—anger. He straightened, glaring at Sanji.

"What was I supposed to do?" he snapped. "It's not like there was a damn library in the middle of the forest! I figured a hell of a lot out for myself, Eyebrow!"

"Congratulations," Sanji said. "I'm sure it wasn't easy. But clearly, there's a shitload of stuff you _don't_ know." He paused in the act of picking up the coffeepot. "Or are you holding out on us, like with that crap you pulled on me yesterday? When the hell did you learn to do that, anyway?"

Zoro ran a hand through his hair. "When I was learning to touch stuff. It was sort of an accident. Sometimes there would be frost nearby when I'd been practicing, and after a while, I figured out I was causing it." He shrugged. "I never cared about it that much. What does it matter to me what the temperature is if I can't feel it?"

"What did you do, Zoro?" Luffy asked.

"I made the air colder."

"Wow, awesome!" Luffy's eyes were shining.

"That's nothing," Sanji said as he finished refilling the girls' cups. "Ghosts can do a lot of freaky shit. He just doesn't have a clue about most of it." Discarding his spent cigarette, he pulled a new one from its packet and fumbled for his lighter. "Hmm. Then again, the book said that not all powers are shared by all ghosts. Maybe it's just that he _can't_ do it."

"What?" Zoro stiffened. "The hell I can't! Show me the damn book, Shit-cook."

Sanji strolled back into the kitchen. "No way, Marimo. I'm not giving up my advantage on day one."

Zoro strode after him. "Now wait just a—"

Abruptly, Zoro was brought to a halt, his body slamming into some sort of invisible barrier. There was a crackling sound, and Zoro was thrown back with a grunt of pain. He staggered upright and fixed Sanji with a threatening look. The cook grinned around his cigarette and pointed down. Zoro cautiously approached—and now, of course, he saw the line of fine white grains that crossed the floor.

Zoro growled. "Shit!" he said, rubbing his face, which still stung from the sudden impact.

"Can't cross a ring of salt either, shitty ghost," Sanji said. "Incidentally, I wouldn't try to go in the bathroom or the ladies' quarters again if I were you."

"What?" Zoro gaped at him.

Nami cleared her throat. "Sanji-kun," she asked sweetly, "did you go in our room?"

Sanji froze, the smug grin vanishing in an instant. "Ah, um—"

Nami's smile became dangerously bright. "Without permission?"

"I-it was only for your protection, Nami-swan!" Sanji said hurriedly. "So that this spooky bastard couldn't invade your privacy! I wasn't there any longer than necessary."

"Really?" Nami said, rising from her seat. "So you didn't _do_ anything while you were in there?"

"O-of course not!" Sanji took a step back. "Well, that is, I had to move some of the furniture a little to put the salt down, but I absolutely didn't touch anything else. Or look at anything. Or smell—" He abruptly stopped speaking.

"Oh, I see." Nami was walking toward him now, her stance relaxed, her steps casual. "Well, that was very thoughtful of you, Sanji-kun."

"Anything for you, Nami-swan!" Sanji's voice carried a hint of nervous relief. "You can leave your safety in my capable hands! It would be a pleasure—"

"Sanji-kun." Nami's voice was deathly calm.

"…Yes, Nami-swan?"

With a resounding crack, Nami's fist connected with Sanji's head, sending the cook crashing to the floor. "Next time, ASK FIRST!" she shouted.

Zoro took some comfort in the fact that salt circles apparently had no effect on witches.


	9. Law and Order

"Is that it?" Usopp asked.

"Yes," Anjia said. "That's Whitestone."

"It doesn't look very white to me," Brook said.

No, it didn't, Luffy thought. Stone there was lots of, but very little of it was white. The island ahead of them had a rough crescent shape. On the inner shore, the ground sloped down to meet the ocean in a narrow strip of gray beach. The outer coast rose in high cliffs of dark stone. Most of the land was given over to a city, with only a few fields and trees visible at the fringes. The buildings were tall and imposing, standing proudly together in rigid order.

"It wasn't named for the color," Anjia said. "They like things to be clean. Since white usually symbolizes purity…"

"Ah, I see," Robin said.

At the highest point of the island, sprawling out from the very edge of the cliffs, was a forbidding structure instantly recognizable as a military base of some sort. With its high black walls and sturdy towers, it might have passed for an exceptionally sleek medieval fortress—if it weren't for the glint of weaponry bristling from every crevice.

Franky whistled. "Looks like you weren't kidding, Sis. I'll bet they've got some pretty sweet toys in there." He rubbed his left arm absently as he spoke. He had spent the most of the week holed up in his workroom, emerging a day prior to their arrival sporting a thick bandage from hand to elbow. He still refused to tell them what he'd been up to, saying only that the first stage of the project had been completed and he would give it a big debut soon.

"Yes, well, we're not headed there right now," Nami said. "Anjia, you said that Delaney's place is closer to the western shore?"

"That's what I was told," Anjia said. "Though I haven't actually been here before."

Franky steered the ship toward the western port. Several workers were waiting for them, and as soon as Sunny was in range they sprang forward with brisk efficiency, securing the ship to the dock.

"Hey, thanks guys!" Luffy called down to them. "Did you know we were coming or something?"

"Yes, sir," one of the workers replied. "The western control tower alerted us five minutes ago."

"Wow, guess you guys are really on top of things." Luffy noticed that the worker was quite young, probably a year or two younger than he was. Well, than his current body was, anyway. A couple of the others were about the same age, and Luffy decided they must have gotten the trainee crew.

"Are you sure we shouldn't take the money with us?" Anjia asked anxiously as they prepared to depart.

"Trust me, it's not a good idea to walk around a city carrying that much money," Nami said. "We know that from experience. It's much better to make arrangements to meet him later, so we know exactly where to go, and he'll be expecting us."

"Don't worry, it'll be safe here," Luffy said, grinning at Franky, Chopper, Usopp, and Brook, who had been elected for guard duty. Olin was staying behind as well.

Usopp was looking nervous. "Hey, Zoro, you sure you don't want to stay with us?" His voice took on a wheedling note. "You wouldn't have to wear those clothes…"

A low chuckle came from beneath the dark hood as Zoro adjusted his coat. "You'll be fine, Usopp."

"Yes, if anyone's going to be in danger, it's us," Nami said. "Which is why he's coming."

 

* * *

 

"What do you mean it has nothing to do with you?" Anjia stared furiously at the video screen. "Is your memory so bad that you would forget something like this after only five years?"

"Hardly." Delaney looked back at Anjia with a bored expression, one hand absently stroking the graying brown hair at his temple. He was a stocky man, though not overly weighty, and Luffy had the feeling he was tall, too—though maybe that was just because of the gate, he thought, looking up at it.

Luffy wasn't used to seeing such things from this side. Up until half a year ago, he had had gates of his own, though his had been much nicer than this, he decided. The one on the island had been simple and elegant, with an air of mystery clinging to it. Delaney's gate was a gray-and-gold monstrosity that somehow managed to appear both ostentatious and ruthlessly functional. What it didn't look was welcoming.

And the staff hadn't been much better. They had—after finding the place and working their way through several levels of employees—been successful in speaking to Delaney himself, but apparently they weren't worth admitting onto the estate itself.

Which was why they were _still_ standing out here in front of the gate, at the mercy of a slightly faulty video connection. Given the well-maintained, high-tech nature of everything else in the estate—and, indeed, the whole island—Luffy suspected the problems were intentional, so that Delaney had an easy excuse to terminate conversations he was no longer interested in continuing.

"I do not forget matters of business," Delaney went on, "Even ones as minor as yours. But you're at the wrong place, my dear. Greysaber bought out your husband's contract over a year ago. Apparently they were quite happy with the work he did for them while in my employ. You'll have to speak with them, though I doubt they'll be interested in releasing him early. At any rate, it's no longer my concern, so I would be much obliged if you and your strange companions would remove yourselves from my driveway." His lips thinned. "As quickly as possible. I'm expecting an important guest shortly." With a hissing flicker, the connection died.

"Friendly guy," Nami said, raising an eyebrow.

Anjia was trembling. "That bastard," she said, clenching her hands into fists. "How could he do that? Callan isn't a commodity to be traded away!" She glared at the looming gate. "He's right, those people won't want to let Callan go, and I don't have the same sort of agreement with them. I can't make them release him just by turning up with the money."

"Then we'll just have to convince them," Robin said.

"Don't worry, Anjia-chan, we'll make sure you get him back." Sanji laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey," Luffy said, "does this mean we're going to the big castle now?"

"I suppose so." Nami sighed. "Of course this couldn't be nice and simple. When are we ever that lucky?"

"But we have to go there anyway, right?" Luffy said. "To see if they have any devil—"

"Shh!" Nami clapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't talk about that here!" She jerked her head at the wall. The screen remained dark, but there was no guarantee that the speakers and security cameras weren't perfectly functional. "They could still be listening."

"Oh." Luffy gave the wall a stern scowl. "Let's go, then."

"An excellent idea, captain," Robin said with a smile.

A few minutes of walking brought them to the edge of the city. Luffy, looking around, couldn't help feeling that it was a cold sort of place. He hadn't been in cities much—not down _in_ them, walking through them like this—but he had usually thought of them as bustling and loud. A little dirty, maybe, and perhaps a bit dark if you looked in the wrong corners, but full of life and laughter and fun as well.

The city of Whitestone was…different. There was noise, to be sure, but it seemed restrained and uniform, a buzzing drone with no shouts or giggles or thumping music to break the monotony. It wasn't dirty, either, he noticed as they continued further in. The streets looked clean and well-swept, without the slightest hint of trash in sight. People moved briskly along the sidewalks with very little conversation taking place outside of shops. Everything from the buildings to the clothes seemed to be some shade of black, gray, or white, with only occasional spots of color—mostly a shade of medium orange.

"This place is weird," Luffy said. Some things were constant even in weird places, though, and a moment later an enticing smell drew Luffy into a small shop on a corner. The boy inside sold him several sticks of grilled meat and passed him a packaged hand wipe along with the food.

"Ah, thanks." Luffy said.

The boy bowed. "After you have enjoyed your meal, please clean yourself and properly dispose of all waste in a designated receptacle."

Luffy stared at him. This boy was younger even than the dock workers had been, yet there was not a hint of a childish air about him. He sounded like some sort of robot. A bossy one, not cool like Franky had been. "Right. Got it," he said at last, quickly backing out to rejoin the others.

"Honestly, Luffy, it hasn't been _that_ long since we've eaten." Nami shook her head. "I don't know about the rest of your body, but your stomach certainly seems to think it's still rubber."

With a soft whoosh, a sleek gray machine made up of a series of long pods came to a stop in the street next to them. On each compartment was printed the number 44. Doors slid open in the sides of the pods, and people emerged, dispersing onto the streets in an orderly fashion. Once the pods were empty, other people began to enter.

"Some kind of bus, I guess," Sanji said. He grabbed the arm of a man joining the line to board. "Excuse me, where does this go?"

The man looked startled for a brief instant, then a mask of calm slid back over his face. "To the financial district, sir."

"Uh-huh." Sanji looked up at the fortress on the cliff. "And if someone wanted to get to that big castle, how would they do that? Does one of these things go there?"

The man's eyebrows lifted a fraction. "You have business there?"

"Yes, something like that," Nami said.

"And they didn't arrange private transport?" The man sounded faintly incredulous.

"Oh, it was kind of a last-minute thing." Nami smiled brightly at him. "So, can any of these machines take us there?"

The man stared for a few more seconds, then shook himself. "Public transport does not extend to the military areas. PT-58 will get you the closest. After that you'll have to walk." He pulled his arm free from Sanji's grip. "Please excuse me." He rejoined the tidy stream of passengers and was gone. A moment later, the pod-bus hummed away.

"This place is starting to give me the creeps," Nami said. She looked up at a sign next to where the bus had stopped. "I don't see a 58 here. Guess we have to find another stop."

Luffy had finished his meat, which had been good, if a bit plain and far below Sanji's usual fare. As the others headed down the street, he lagged behind, fumbling with the packaging for the wipe. It burst open with a final tug to the wrapper, and he scrambled to keep his hold on it, several of the empty sticks clattering to the ground in the process.

"Luffy!" Nami's voice called sharply to him from halfway down the block. "Hurry up!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" he said, taking off after her.

He hadn't gone more than three steps when a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder. Twisting around, he saw a stern-faced man in a crisp black-and-gray uniform looking down at him.

"By your attitude and dress, I presume you are not a native here," the man said. "So I will refrain from summarily arresting you."

Luffy stared uncertainly at the man. Had they done something to get in trouble already? Had that rich old man overheard his comment about the devil fruit and alerted the authorities? A fight could be fun, but it would probably make things more difficult for Anjia to find her husband and get him back.

"You may take this as your only warning." The officer dragged Luffy back several paces and pointed to the ground. "We do not tolerate littering."

Luffy looked down to see the used meat-sticks he'd dropped scattered across the sidewalk. "Oh," he said, bending to pick them up. "Sorry. I got distracted and forgot. I didn't mean to leave them like that."

"I suggest you do not forget again," the officer said. He pointed at a blinking camera attached to the corner of the building. "Your picture has been sent to central headquarters. If you are found committing any further infractions while you are here, you will be recognized and punished accordingly."

"What's going on here?" Nami's voice was a welcome relief, even if it sounded annoyed.

"Littering is a serious crime here, ma'am," the officer told her. "I will leave it at a warning this time, but if you are responsible for this boy, I suggest you keep a closer eye on him."

"What will happen if he does it again?" Robin asked.

The officer frowned at her. "Anything from a fine to disciplinary service or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the infraction and the degree of intent."

"Disciplinary service? What exactly—"

"Thanks very much for telling us," Nami said, interrupting Robin. "We'll make sure to watch him better." She stepped closer, giving the man a winning smile. "Um, perhaps you could help us, officer—we're trying to find a stop for PT-58. Do you know where the nearest one is?"

He did, as it happened. Ten minutes of walking brought them to the right corner, and no sooner had they arrived than another pod-bus pulled up, the number 58 stamped clearly on its sides. They joined the line—Nami holding Luffy back from rushing straight on as soon as the doors opened—and took their seats.

Luffy had always enjoyed looking out the window of vehicles he had traveled in, but Whitestone didn't exactly provide a great variety of view. They had been traveling for only a few minutes when Luffy looked away from yet another row of steel gray buildings and noticed that Zoro was fidgeting a little. Maybe Zoro was uncomfortable on this sort of modern transport, he thought—though it wasn't that different, really, from some of the things they'd traveled on before, like the sea train. Just a smoother ride.

They left the bus on a wide street surrounded by black steel buildings. The noise was just as restrained here, but far more of the people seemed to be wearing uniforms of one sort or another, and there were fewer children and very young men. After a quick check for directions, they set off. Twenty minutes later, the fortress came into view, a pair of massive black gates visible in the distance.

"Okay," Nami said in relief. "We're almost there. Now we just have to get them to let us in, and—"

"Nami," Zoro said in a tight voice.

She turned to him. "What?"

"It's been almost two hours since we left the ship," Zoro said.

She frowned. "What does—Oh!" Her face jolted in understanding. "Oh, damn, I didn't think—" She looked around frantically. "Zoro, there's surveillance equipment all over this place! If you lose tangibility here—"

"I know," he growled. "I can hold on for a while longer. Just try to make this fast."

"I knew we should have left you on the ship, Marimo."

"Shut up and walk, cook."

 

* * *

 

Getting into the base was surprisingly easy. At the gate, Anjia told the guards they had business to discuss, and they were promptly escorted to a small office inside the perimeter. Behind the desk was a young man, wearing a bored expression and the same uniform the guards had been—black, with gray piping and an orange bird of prey stamped on the left breast. Twelve small white circles ringed the bird, miniature moons brushing the tips of the outstretched wings.

Anjia explained why they were there, and after a few seconds of typing, the young man brought up the relevant files. "Ah, yes," he said, eyes skimming over the text. "Independent operative, under contract…highly competent…valuable…" He looked up at her. "Ordinarily, I would advise you to simply wait out the contract. We are not generally inclined to release our special assets ahead of schedule. However…" His eyes flicked down to the screen again. "I can arrange a meeting with a senior officer, if you wish to make your case."

"Yes, please." Anjia said.

"Very well." Another minute of typing, and the young man looked back up. "Captain Thessen will be free to speak with you in one hour." He pressed a button on his desk, and one of the guards outside stepped into the room. "Please escort our guests to waiting room 28."

The guard left them in a clean, functional room equipped with several chairs, a small shelf of books, and a pitcher of fresh water. Nami glanced around, noting the discreetly-placed cameras, then turned to the others. "Okay, listen up. It'll probably be at least another couple of hours before we can get back to the ship, so…who wants to take Zoro to the bathroom?"

Zoro spluttered. "Excuse me?"

"Don't worry," Nami said. "Most likely, they don't have surveillance in the restrooms—and if they do, it'll probably be audio only. Keep any weird noises to yourself and you can do your business in peace."

Zoro seemed to be struggling with himself. "I…may be a while," he said at last.

"We've got an hour before the meeting," Nami said. "You should try to be back by then, but we'll probably be okay without you if necessary."

That was probably their best option, Luffy thought. There was no way Zoro would last until they made it back to the ship. An hour wasn't much time to recover, but it would probably be enough to get Zoro back to Sunny, at least.

"Fine." Zoro strode quickly to the door. "See you later."

"Hold it," Nami barked. "The last thing we need is you getting lost and having an… _accident_ in the middle of this place. Someone's going with you."

"I don't need a babysitter!" Zoro pulled open the door. "I can find it on my own." And he was gone.

Nami sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Someone please go after him? I'm staying here in case the meeting happens early; I want to be there for it. Anjia obviously can't go either."

"I'll do it!" Luffy said cheerfully, sprinting toward the door. "I want to take a look around anyway."

"Luffy, I'm not sure—" Nami began, but he was outside the room and trotting down the hall before she could finish.

Zoro must have moved even faster than he had; the corridor was completely empty and there was no sound of footsteps, either. Ahead, the hall split. Luffy hesitated, then turned to the left.

* * *

Some time later, he still hadn't found Zoro—or a bathroom—but his sense of adventure was tingling strongly. The doors in this part of the fortress were tightly locked, and the hall gave off a distinct "do not disturb" vibe that was simply irresistible. Imagining what could be in the rooms, Luffy grinned to himself. What if he found the place where they kept the devil fruit? They could walk out of here with their powers restored, right now.

Of course, to do that, he'd first have to get some of these doors open. "This would be a lot easier with Nami," he muttered, jiggling the handle of a wide, sturdy door. To his surprise, it gave slightly under his fingers. With another hard push, it clicked and the door swung inward.

It was dark in the room, but Luffy could tell it was full of things. Lots of things. His fingers groped along the wall, searching for a switch for the lights. His hand struck something hard and cold, followed a second later by a loud crash of metal as several objects fell to the floor. Luffy froze, but no angry shouts or running footsteps came from outside. Carefully, he resumed his search for the switch. He found it at last on the left side of the wall, and the lights flickered on. Luffy's eyes widened.

The room was full of weapons. His first thought was to wish Franky was there; on closer inspection, however, he was pretty sure these weren't the sort of weapons Franky had had in mind. Everything looked clean and functional, but it also looked…old. Luffy ran a finger along the side of a heavy sword. Some of these had probably been old four hundred years ago.

It really was an impressive display, though: dozens of different styles of swords and daggers, a whole row of deadly-looking crossbows, lines of spears, axes, maces, and lots of other things that looked very pointy and sharp. And along the far wall…

Luffy grinned and ran forward. Zoro could take care of himself—probably—and what he'd just found was _much_ more interesting than a bathroom.

 

* * *

 

"Are you all right?" Nami asked Anjia as they left the office.

Anjia was pale, and her hands trembled at her sides, but she nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "We actually did it," she whispered. "They're really going to let Callan go." Turning to Nami, she pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you so much. If you hadn't been able to cover the extra money they asked for…"

"Well, we couldn't let you go home without him, after coming all this way," Nami said.

"We should return to the ship," Robin said. "Two hours should be plenty of time to make it back and prepare the money, but it would be better to be ready ahead of schedule." She looked down the corridor. "Do you suppose Luffy and Zoro are all right?"

"Well, the building's still standing, and I don't hear any alarms, so hopefully things haven't gone too far yet," Nami said. "But we'd better find them." She approached a nearby guard. "Excuse me, sir; do you have a restroom here?"

"Facilities for visitors are that way, ma'am," the guard said, pointing down the corridor. "Go left at the end of the hall, right at the next corner, then up the stairs."

"Thanks," Nami said brightly, and they set off.

The restrooms, when they found them, were clean, quiet, and noticeably devoid of excitable captains and ghostly swordsmen.

"All right, where the hell did those idiots run off to?" Sanji asked. He was growing more irritable by the second; the island's obsession with cleanliness meant that smoking was practically outlawed, and the longer his fingers stayed away from his cigarettes, the more they wanted to wrap around someone's neck—especially certain lost marimos that were preventing them from leaving.

"Do you think we should ask someone?" Anjia asked.

Nami hummed indecisively. "I'd rather not—if they _are_ getting up to anything stupid, calling down security on them would probably be the worst thing we could do."

"Not necessarily," Anjia said. "Wherever they are, they've probably been seen on the video surveillance by now. If we make a fuss and play it off as them getting lost easily, we might have a chance to keep them—and us—from being arrested."

"It's probably exactly what happened, anyway," Sanji said. "Luffy can be almost as bad as the marimo when it comes to finding his way around. Lost idiots, the pair of them."

"Who are you calling lost?" a low voice grumbled in Sanji's ear.

Sanji spun around, stifling a yelp. The hall beside him looked deserted, but he leaned forward and hissed at the empty air, "Damn it, Marimo, can't you come up with something new? The disembodied voice routine was old the first time you did it."

"Not when it still makes you jump like that." Zoro's voice was barely audible, but the amusement came through clearly. "And it's not like I have much choice right now."

"Zoro, where are your clothes?" Nami asked in a loud whisper. "They're supposed to be here!" She pointed at the bathroom. "With you. And Luffy!"

"People in this place suck at giving directions," Zoro said. "I found some sort of supply closet or something, though. Didn't see any cameras, and it was dark in there anyway."

"Great." Nami rubbed her forehead. "So now we're looking for some random closet—oh, and Luffy, wherever he's run off to. I knew letting him go after you was a bad idea."

"I told you I'd be fine on my own," Zoro muttered.

"Of course you were, O Haunter of Cleaning Supplies," Sanji said. "Now make yourself useful and help us find Luffy. We can look for your shitty closet on the way."

"Can you tell where he is, Zoro?" Robin asked. Before Zoro could reply, however, a resounding crash of metal came from the floor above them, followed by several angry shouts and the pounding of feet.

"…Or we could just go to the biggest source of noise," Nami said. "Zoro, find those clothes _now_. We'll meet you up above."

 

* * *

 

It was such a typically Luffy thing to do, Nami thought, looking at the cheerful figure sprawled on the floor in a full suit of armor. The fall hadn't seemed to bother him at all, and he looked almost cute in the oversized helmet. She would have been tempted to laugh—if it weren't for the dozen or so guards pointing their weapons at him, clearly not finding the situation the least bit amusing.

"Luffy!" She hurried forward. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, hey Nami!" Luffy waved at her. "I found this really cool room full of armor and weapons and stuff! I guess they're not too happy that I borrowed some of it without asking, though."

"Stand up slowly." One of the guards gestured at Luffy with his weapon. "No sudden movements. You are under arrest for theft and trespassing."

"I told you guys I was gonna give it back," Luffy said, easing himself to his feet with a clatter of metal. "And if you didn't want people going in there, you should have made sure it was locked."

"What's going on here?" A tall man, black-haired with a neatly trimmed mustache, came striding down the corridor. An orange badge was clipped to the collar of his dark uniform, a gold triangle set in its center. Nami didn't need to know their insignia system to tell that he outranked the guards.

"Sir!" The guard who had spoken snapped a salute. "This boy was caught attempting to escape after stealing valuable armor from a restricted area. The theft occurred in HWR-34. Also"—the guard tapped the screen of an electronic device attached to his wrist—"this boy is a prior offender. He was given a warning for littering less than three hours ago."

"I see." The officer's eyes narrowed.

"Um, look, can't we talk about this?" Nami lifted her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm sure he wasn't trying to steal anything, he just has a thing for armor. I'm sorry he's such an idiot—honestly, he gets lost all the time, we really need to start keeping a closer eye on him…"

"Yes, you should have," the officer agreed, turning his glare on her. "In fact, you are all trespassing. This corridor is out of bounds to visitors without prior authorization."

"We only came up here because we heard the noise and thought it might be our friend," Nami said. "Who was _missing_ ," she added pointedly.

"And how do you expect us to know which areas we can't go in?" Sanji added. "You don't have any damn signs up. 'No visitors beyond this point', or something."

The guards all stared at them. "The public areas have light gray flooring," the lead guard said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. He pointed at their feet. "Restricted areas are dark gray or black."

A vein twitched in Nami's forehead. "Of all the—you should have TOLD US THAT, YOU IDIOTS!" With a loud thump, her fist connected with the guard's head, sending him crashing to the floor.

The officer frowned. "Assaulting a member of the military is also a serious offense, ma'am." He nodded at the guards. "Take them all to holding room five."

"Right away, sir." The guard Nami had punched rose to his feet, sending them a distinctly hostile look.

"Hey, should we fight them?" Luffy asked, raising his armor-covered fists.

"I believe we should go along for now, Captain," Robin said. "We may still have a chance to settle things peacefully."

Nami felt that wasn't very likely, but she nodded at Luffy. Fighting their way out of a military base full of soldiers was a path to take only if the remaining options were even more unfavorable—like death, or paying a large fine.

 

* * *

 

Half an hour later, Nami was beginning to question the wisdom of that decision. The holding room was locked and barred, with guards stationed inside and out. It was undoubtedly farther away from the exit than where they had been, and she had noticed a disturbing number of wall-mounted weapon systems on the way in. If things went badly, they would have a much harder time escaping safely.

_At least they don't have Zoro,_ she thought. She wondered if he'd found the clothes yet, and if he was now trying to find them. In spite of his lack of direction, he did have a habit of showing up just in time if he was really needed. She only hoped he wouldn't be.

The officer with a mustache had been in and out of the room several times, along with two others. The three of them muttered to each other and sent a lot of pointed glares at the Straw Hats. Nami was starting to become annoyed. _It's not like we killed anyone,_ she thought.

Luffy had been divested of his "stolen" armor, and he was now sulking in his seat, complaining that this was boring, and he was hungry besides. Sanji was leaning against the wall, hands in pockets, glaring at anyone who came near. His cigarettes and lighter had been confiscated once they'd arrived in the room, and she had been worried for a moment that he'd start attacking the guards then and there. Robin seemed calm, but Anjia was clearly upset. If they missed the arranged meeting with Captain Thessen, it was entirely possible the man would consider the deal broken. The organization might demand even more money, or refuse to release Callan at all. The fact that it was their own officers preventing Anjia from leaving probably wouldn't matter.

The door opened, and Officer Mustache strode in, his two colleagues at his heels. Several more guards filed in after the officers, and the door closed with a resounding click. Nami swallowed. This didn't look good.

The officer to Mustache's right, a burly blond man with a hooked nose, stepped forward. "We have reviewed the security footage extensively," he began, "and there can be no doubt that the five of you—as well as one other whom we are currently pursuing—trespassed into restricted areas of our compound.

"In addition, you"—he snapped a finger out to point at Luffy—"disturbed important historic artifacts, and removed a valuable suit of antique armor from its designated room." He held up his hand to forestall Luffy's protest. "Whether or not you intended to remove it from the base itself is irrelevant." He turned to Nami. "And you, ma'am, assaulted one of our guards, who had offered you no violence at any point."

"He was pointing a gun at Luffy!" Nami said furiously.

"He is a trained soldier, ma'am. He knows how to handle his weapon. Your friend was in no danger so long as he followed the instructions given to him." He cleared his throat. "The evidence is clear, and we see no need to delay matters with a trial. Your sentence is as follows: The three of you guilty only of trespassing will be fined. If you are unable to pay the fine, you will serve a period of disciplinary service. For theft, violence, and evading capture, the rest of you will be remanded into custody of our prison until formal sentencing can be carried out, at which time you will—" The blond officer broke off abruptly as a sharp ringing sounded from Officer Mustache's belt.

Officer Mustache pulled a small electronic device from the belt and snapped it on. In spite of her anger and panic, Nami found herself noting that there appeared to be no den den mushi on this island. All the cameras had been fully electronic, and clearly the phones were, too. They had seen them on other islands, so the snails were still in use—just not here. She found it strangely sad.

"Clifton." The officer listened for a moment. "Yes, sir. No, sir, we should have him momentarily. Yes, sir, we are delivering sentence now. Yes, sir, we reviewed the recordings thoroughly, and that was the recommended punishment. Yes, sir?" The voice at the other end spoke, and Clifton's eyes widened. "Let them—sir, is this some sort of joke?" The voice at the other end grew louder, and Clifton flinched involuntarily. "No, sir, of course not. My apologies. But…" He stared at the Straw Hats, jaw clenching. "Sir, who ordered this?"

A curt response from the phone, and Clifton stiffened. "Of course, sir," he said, swallowing. "I will see to it. Yes sir. Yes, I'll inform them now, sir. Of course." He put the phone away carefully, then turned to the guards. "Release them."

The other two officers turned to Clifton in shock. "What?" the blond officer asked, outraged. "Clifton, what's going on?"

"Remove their cuffs!" Clifton snapped at the guards, who still stood, frozen. "And call off the pursuit of their companion. They are free to go."

"On whose authority?" demanded the third officer, a thin man with close-cropped brown hair.

Clifton gritted his teeth. "The Professor's," he said.

All the men went still at that, the guards stopping halfway across the room. "Keep moving!" Clifton barked at them.

"Why? Why would the Professor care about them?" the blond officer asked. "Or even know that they exist?"

"That's the Professor's business," Clifton said, "and I intend to stay out of it." He directed a glare at the Straw Hats. "My men will show you out. Please do not return."

"You're really letting us go? Just like that?" Nami wanted to feel relieved; she wanted to just be happy that they wouldn't be fined or imprisoned or whatever else these people had been planning. But even taking Luffy's usual good luck into account, this was too strange to simply accept without question. This "Professor" was clearly a high-ranking member of the organization—or had connections to someone who was—to not only find out about their capture in such a short time, but to be able to overrule their punishment. Why would this person have done that for them?

"Who is the Professor?" Robin asked, clearly thinking along the same lines as Nami.

"I am required to release you," Clifton said. "I am not required to answer your questions. Nor will I." And he swept from the room. The other two officers followed, shooting incredulous looks at the Straw Hats and Anjia.

Back on the upper levels, they collected a highly suspicious Zoro from a face off against several dozen guards. They were then unceremoniously taken to the gates of the base and ejected.

"I don't like those guys," Luffy said as they walked away. "They had some cool stuff, though."

"But why did they release us?" Nami asked. "I don't like this. We have no idea who this "Professor" is, but he—or she—obviously has some sort of interest in us."

"Maybe he's just a nice guy?" Luffy suggested. "Or maybe he _isn't_ interested, and that's why he let us go."

"I don't think that's the case, Luffy," Robin said. "If he didn't care, there would be no reason to interfere."

"Hmm." Luffy tried to look thoughtful.

"Still, I'm glad they did release us," Anjia said. "We should just be able to get back to your ship in time for the exchange."

"And then maybe we can get off this shitty island," Sanji said. He had a cigarette clenched firmly between his teeth, but hadn't yet lit it. The soldiers and police patrolling the city wouldn't know about their release order, and desperate as he was for a smoke, he wouldn't risk delaying Anjia further.

 

* * *

 

Captain Thessen arrived at the docks fifteen minutes after they returned to the Sunny. The additional money was hastily counted out, and they went to meet him. They noticed immediately that the man was alone.

"Where's Callan?" Anjia demanded.

"He recently returned from a mission, and is currently occupied with related matters," the captain said. "I will give you his location and the passkey to release his service band, as well as documentation proving his discharge, once I am satisfied with your payment."

After thoroughly inspecting the money, Thessen loaded it into his vehicle, then handed Anjia a folder and a box containing a small electronic key. "You'll find your man at the first district hospital," he said, settling himself into the seat. "He took considerable damage in his last mission. He'll survive, but as he's unlikely to be in fighting condition for the next several years, he's not much use to us anymore. I congratulate you on your timing; your offer was quite convenient for us."

Anjia stared open-mouthed as the officer left. "How dare he!" she said furiously. "All that time, he knew Callan was hurt, and he kept it hidden just to try to squeeze more money from me!"

Olin laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know how you feel, Anjia, but for now, let's try to put it aside. Why don't we go see how he's doing?" He tapped the box in her hand. "Give him a little good news to brighten his day."

Anjia took a deep breath. "Yes…yes, you're right." She turned to the crew. "Would any of you be willing to come with us? After what we went through up at the base, we'd both appreciate the company."

Sanji volunteered at once. Chopper also wanted to come, in case there was anything he could do for Callan. Luffy wouldn't even consider being left behind. Franky wanted to see the island, and Nami and Zoro decided to come as well.

"I would have thought you'd want to stay here, Zoro," Nami said, surprised. "You haven't had much chance to rest after this morning."

"After this morning, there's no way I'd let you go back on this island without me." Zoro said. "I'll be fine." He mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that?" Nami asked.

"Nothing."

"Zoro."

"You were right," Zoro said reluctantly. "About wearing the clothes being good training. It's a little easier than it was."

"Oh. Well, good. You see, you should listen to me more often."

Zoro scowled. "I said it's a _little_ easier. Don't let it go to your head."

"Don't talk to Nami-swan like that, shitty marimo." Sanji's leg snapped out. Zoro's arm swung up to meet it, blocking the kick without once glancing in his direction. Sanji's teeth ground against his cigarette. He might have found a counter for Zoro's intangibility, but that just gave the bastard more opportunity to demonstrate to him exactly how far apart in strength they now were.

"All right, boys, that's enough." Nami waved them off. "Zoro, hurry up and get those clothes back on if you're coming."

 

* * *

 

The hospital stood in a fairly busy neighborhood on the east side of the city. Its bulk looked almost impossibly white against the grays and tans of the surrounding buildings. Inside, they followed a pretty young nurse down a series of corridors that were so pristine they made the already-clean city look dingy.

Callan was in a bed at the far side of the ward, a tousled head of dark hair standing out clearly against the white sheets. He seemed to be sleeping, but his eyes opened as they approached, then widened in shock as he saw Anjia.

"Anjia? What…how—"

She smiled at him, seating herself beside the bed. "Well, I can't expect the staff here to make a proper fuss over you, so I thought I'd drop by." Her voice was light, but tears trembled at the corners of her eyes. "And then see if you'd be interested in coming home."

Callan stared at her. "Home?" he repeated blankly. "But…the contract—"

"Is over." Anjia brought out the box, opening it and showing him the key. "As soon as you're fit to sail, we can leave."

For several seconds, Callan laid still, mouth agape. Then, slowly, he reached out. Shaking fingers brushed against the key before slipping down to wrap around Anjia's hand. "You're serious," he whispered. "But how? Even with my injuries, they wouldn't just let me go—"

"It's a long story," she said, turning to smile at the Straw Hats. "But I couldn't have done it without them."

Callan craned his neck to get a better look at them. "Who are they?" he asked. "They look familiar, but I can't think where…"

Anjia laughed softly. "Oh, well…that's…an even longer story."

Brown eyes twinkled at her. "Well, I happen to like stories." Carefully, Callan began shifting himself to a more upright position. "Long ones especially are very good for keeping you busy while you're—Aah!" He broke off with a gasp of pain, one hand curling toward his side.

"Callan!" Anjia leapt from her seat. "You need help—where's the doctor?"

"Can I do anything?" Chopper hurried forward. Before he could reach the bed, however, a slim form slipped past. Nimble hands moved Anjia aside and reached to tap expertly at a panel beside Callan's bed. A few moments later, Callan sighed in relief as the pain medication kicked in.

"You were instructed not to move." Something about the boy's voice caught Luffy's attention. He watched as the boy pulled away the sheets and lifted Callan's shirt to examine the heavily bandaged torso. It was hard to get a good look at him. A mask obscured most of his face, and a hospital cap was pulled low over his head, a few strands of black hair peeking from the edges. All the same, Luffy could tell he was quite young—barely into his teens, if that. He wore a gray uniform, pale against his black pants, with a badge clipped to the collar—green this time, with a black triangle.

"Sorry," Callan said, grimacing. "I've just had some very good news, and I guess I got a little overexcited—"

"Try not to let it happen again," the boy said. "It would be a waste of resources if I were required to change your bandages ahead of schedule." He lowered Callan's shirt and settled the sheets back into place, then left as quickly as he came, slipping from the room before they could blink.

"How can he say that?" Chopper asked, staring after the boy with an air of outrage. "Helping the patient should come first, not worrying about waste! This place has plenty of resources! Why's he trying to ration supplies like he's in the middle of a war?"

"Ah, that's just the way they're raised here," Callan said with a sigh. "The people of this island pride themselves on order, cleanliness, and efficiency. More efficiency means less waste, which also means less to clean. He's not a bad kid, really."

Nami frowned. "But like you said, he's a kid. In fact, a lot of the people we've seen working on this island have been children. Why? Why are they being put to work so young?"

Callan smiled sadly. "It's part of how Greysaber educates their kids. They start them very young with a basic schoolroom education—reading, writing, math, and so on. Most kids complete that by the time they're ten. Some do it even earlier. After that, they're given a year or two of more specialized study for their starting career, then placed in entry-level positions for the jobs they've been assigned. Some work their way up to higher levels in those jobs, more leave to join the military government."

"Don't they get to play?" Luffy asked.

Callan shook his head. "Not nearly enough." He looked across the room. "That boy—Loris Trey—he's only twelve, but he's already moved up a rank since he was assigned here, and knows more than most of the junior doctors. He's going to be a brilliant doctor someday—he picks things up so fast it's like he's done it all before. But I don't think I've ever seen him smile; I'm not sure he even knows how to laugh. He's learned an awful lot in a short time, but he missed the lessons on how to be a kid."

"That's so sad…" Nami said. Chopper nodded in agreement, looking near tears.

"Well, maybe I'm wrong," Callan said. "I've only known him in the hospital, after all—could be that when he's off duty, he does go play with his friends." He sighed again. "Though I doubt it." A smile appeared on his face as he forced his voice to a more cheerful tone. "So, how about that story?"

* * *

There had been some debate over how much to tell Callan. In the end, they had agreed that they shouldn't ask Anjia to hide something like this from her husband, when it was such a large part of why he was now free. And if he knew why they needed to know about the organization's devil fruit, he might be able to help them. To their surprise, he accepted the story straight away.

"I've seen a lot of crazy stuff over the past five years," he said. "A reincarnated pirate king is only slightly more unusual than a normal day on the grand line, really."

Luffy laughed. "I like you, mister." He leaned forward in anticipation. "So? Does that big castle have any devil fruit locked up somewhere?"

"Ah, well, that's an interesting question…" Callan shifted slightly, careful not to jostle his side. "Your timing's perfect, actually—the organization has a rather large cache of devil fruit right now, thanks in large part to my last mission." He chuckled at that. "Ah, I guess it really was my last mission. Imagine that."

"Do you have any idea which fruits they are?" Nami asked.

Callan shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I've never studied those things. There's quite a few, though, so you've got a good chance—even though not all of the ones we found made it back to this island."

"What happened to the others?" Franky asked.

"Sold to private parties, mostly. There's a list of business partners that get first choice of anything the org isn't hell-bent on keeping for itself. I was never involved in that side of things, though, so I don't know much more."

"But there are still a lot of them inside the base," Sanji said, "which means we've got to get back in."

"Sounds like fun," Zoro said.

"Hold it!" Nami said. "We have to think about this. If we just go barging in the front door, we won't make it ten steps before we're fending off masses of soldiers and weapons. Breaking back out is one thing, if it comes to that, but we should at least try to get inside quietly."

"Is there anything you could do?" Sanji asked Callan.

Callan sighed. "I wish I could, but my clearance was never all that high—most contractors aren't, because we're assumed to be disloyal by default. What little I had has probably been revoked—if not directly after my injury, then certainly since Anjia bought out my contract."

"You don't know anyone with higher clearance?" Nami asked.

"No one that would help," Callan said. "Most of the people I was at all friendly with were other contractors."

"What about secret passages?" Luffy asked excitedly. "Every castle has to have some of those."

"Yeah, but this isn't a castle, it's a military base," Sanji said. "Even if there are entrances most people don't know about, you can be damn sure they'll be guarded."

"And if there are any, I've never heard about them." Callan smiled ruefully. "Ah, I'm not being terribly helpful to you, am I?"

"Of course you are!" Chopper said. "At least we know there are devil fruit in there."

"We just have to find a way to get to them," Nami said.

For several moments, everyone was quiet. The only noises were the beeping of the hospital equipment and the occasional low mutter as someone considered or rejected an idea.

"I can get you in."

As one, the Straw Hats turned. Loris Trey was back. The boy was leaning casually against the wall a bed-length away. The mask and cap were gone, and Luffy could feel his jaw dropping as he stared at an impossibly young, impossibly familiar face.

_No way._

Sharp eyes, faintly lined with shadows, regarded them intently from beneath a head of dark hair. The expression was impassive, but Luffy could sense a confident smirk hovering just below the surface. Or was that his mind filling in details it thought should be there?

"You're trying to get to Greysaber's treasure room, right? I know how to get in."

_Is it really…?_

It had to be. The young chin bore no goatee; there were no tattoos, no earrings, no familiar spotted hat…but that face, that calm assurance… And even speaking in a child's tones, that voice was far too familiar. Why hadn't he recognized it immediately?

_I thought it was just us… We promised, so we came back. And he wasn't part of that. But it's him… He really is…_

Luffy's face broke into a huge grin. "Traffy!"


	10. Past and Present

"Traffy!"

"Oh my God." Nami's hand flew to her mouth.

The Straw Hats stared in shock. Olin, Anjia, and Callan were looking from them to the boy, confusion written across their faces.

"What the hell!" Sanji fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette. "Is everyone we knew going to be popping up like this?"

"Is it really him?" Chopper whispered.

"He—he could be a descendant," Nami said.

"No." Zoro's voice was quiet. "I'm pretty sure it's him."

"But why?" Nami asked. "This sort of thing…it doesn't usually happen, does it? I mean, I know it happened to us, but I thought it was—I don't know, some kind of special exception or something. If people came back all the time, looking exactly the same, surely someone would notice!"

"I thought so, too, Nami-san. But I guess there are more exceptions than we thought."

"You think he remembers?" Franky asked.

"It would explain why he offered to help us," Sanji said.

"Hey."

The Straw Hats jumped a little as the young—but oh-so-familiar—voice hit their ears. Law's—Trey's—brow was furrowed, and there was no hint of a smile on his face now.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I have better things to do than to stand here and listen to you babble. If you don't want my help, you could just say so." He turned to leave.

"Ah, no, no, no, wait a minute!" Nami leaped forward, grabbing his arm. "I'm sorry," she said, smiling. "You look a lot like someone we knew a long time ago, and it surprised us, that's all. We would love to have your help."

"Don't touch me." Trey pulled his arm from Nami's grip and regarded her warily. "Why do you want to break in there, anyway? There are easier ways to get rich."

"We're not trying to get rich!" Luffy said. "We just—"

"Never mind." Trey waved a hand. "I don't really care. Anyone trying to break into Greysaber's vaults is insane, whatever the reason."

"And what does that say about you, if you have a way in?" Sanji asked.

"I've never tried to steal anything." The boy's hand flicked in a blur of motion, and an instant later Sanji's newly-lit cigarette was torn from his mouth. He twisted to see it pinned to the wall by a quivering needle.

"No smoking." There was just a hint of a smirk on Trey's face. "Especially not in my hospital." He walked over to the wall, removing both cigarette and needle and dropping them into a bin.

"Shit." Swallowing, Sanji ran a hand over his lips. He could still feel the rush of air the needle had made as it sailed past. "He makes a damn scary kid."

Trey walked across the room, slipping between the Straw Hats like a fish through water. At the door, he turned and looked at them. "There's a cave on the northeast side of the island. Be there tonight at 2300, and I'll get you in. Wear something dark." Then he was gone.

"Ah, well," Callan said into the silence. "I guess he has some hobbies outside of work after all."

"What was that about?" Anjia asked. "The way you all looked at him…"

"It's complicated," Nami said. "I mean, clearly, he doesn't remember anything—"

"And he probably won't, either," Zoro said.

"Why not?" Luffy asked. "If we explained things to him—we could go back to Sunny and get your earrings, Zoro, maybe they would work for him, too—"

"They won't."

"How do you know?" Nami asked.

"His aura," Zoro said. "It looks like all of yours did before this lifetime. I can't say how they're different now, but they are, and until his changes, I don't think he _can_ remember. Also…"

"What?"

"It might not mean anything, but…" Zoro shrugged. "In the lifetimes where you didn't remember, none of you ever had your old names, as far as I know. Since he doesn't…"

"But that was a different world," Franky pointed out. "People would recognize the name if he had it here."

"That wouldn't stop someone from using on their child, if they really wanted to," Nami said. "Some people use famous names deliberately."

"From the way you're all talking," Olin stared at the door Trey had left through, "I take it this boy was someone you knew, ah…before?"

"It looks that way." Nami turned to their three friends. She drew a deep breath. "Since you've studied the history, I'm sure you've heard of him—the pirate they called the 'Surgeon of Death'."

 

* * *

 

"Law?" Usopp's mouth was hanging open. " _Law_ is here? Are you serious?"

Luffy chuckled. "Yep! And he's going to help us get to where all the devil fruit are, even though he doesn't remember anything."

"But how?" Usopp looked around nervously, as if he expected a horde of reborn friends and enemies to suddenly swoop down on them. "This isn't normal! People don't _do_ that! Uh, you know, aside from us, I guess."

"Do you think we'll meet any others?" Chopper asked. He looked down, twiddling his hooves. "It would be nice to see Doctorine again…and…"

"Even if we did, they probably won't remember," Sanji said. "But it's something to think about. Hell, if we ran into the shitty geezer as a kid…" He shook his head. "Might not even recognize him like that."

"I believe you would, Sanji-san," Brook said softly.

Sanji blew out a long stream of smoke. "Yeah, probably."

Luffy wondered who he'd want to see. His first thought was Ace—but then, he'd seen Ace very recently, in a manner of speaking. He still wasn't sure exactly what that weird dark place was, but it definitely wasn't a normal dream, so…somehow, it was real, and that was good enough for now. But what would he do if they met Sabo? Or Shanks, or…

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Usopp said. "If he doesn't remember, then he's got no reason to help us, right? He could be sending us into a trap!"

"I did think of that," Nami admitted. "But we've got no choice. Our only other option is to break in by force, and that would be suicide. At least this way there's a chance he's sincere and really can get us in safely."

A clatter from above drew Luffy's attention to the second floor. Anjia came out of the girls' quarters, pulling a large suitcase. Robin followed her with a few smaller bags.

Luffy blinked. "What's going on?"

"Weren't you listening on the way back to the ship?" Nami asked. "It's going to be a few weeks before Callan is well enough to travel, so Olin went to find a room in the city where he and Anjia can stay until then."

"You're leaving?" he asked Anjia.

She nodded. "We decided it would be better if Dad and I were off your ship before you go for the fruit tonight. You might need to make a quick getaway, and we obviously can't leave without Callan."

"Oh." He grinned. "Well, thanks for traveling with us! It was fun!"

She blinked, then smiled at him. "Such a quick goodbye," she teased. "I'd almost think you don't care."

"You're silly," he said. "If we see you again someday, then this isn't goodbye."

"I suppose that's true," she said. "Well, until we meet again, then."

Luffy laughed. "Yep!"

Anjia thanked each of the Straw Hats in turn—being careful not to use any form of "goodbye" in her words. Sanji was put out of commission for several minutes after a hug and her whispered thanks in his ear. Finally, she looked at Zoro. He had shed the clothes immediately after they had returned, and he glowed softly in the late afternoon sun.

"Don't hug me," he said.

"I wasn't going to!" she said, blushing slightly. "But thank you, for helping us. And…I'm sorry about the way I reacted to you." She was standing a little farther from him than she had from the others, but the smile she gave him was warm, if not effusive.

"Tch, save your apologies for when you've actually done something wrong," he said. "You have a common fear, and you handled it. That doesn't qualify."

She laughed a little. "I'll try to remember that."

 

* * *

 

Dinner was slightly less rowdy than usual. Most of the talk revolved around their plans for the night ahead as they watched the meeting time tick nearer.

"Zoro, you're coming, right?" Luffy asked.

"Of course I am," Zoro said.

"Yes, you are," Nami agreed. "But you should come without letting anyone see you."

He blinked. "Aren't you the one always complaining when I'm invisible?"

"Yes; and I still think it's creepy. But an invisible ghost could be very useful for sneaking into a heavily guarded fortress. And it wouldn't hurt to have a secret weapon just in case Law—or Trey, I guess—does try to betray us. Besides, we don't know how long this will take. You've pushed your limits with the clothes enough for one day."

For a moment, he looked as though he was going to argue the last point. "What about my swords?" he asked instead.

"We can carry them for you," she said.

Zoro's hand moved to his swords protectively.

Nami rolled her eyes. "We won't lose them or get them damaged, I promise."

"You'll need to be able to move fast. They're too heavy for you to carry around like that."

"Not if three of us each carry one."

"Split them up?" Zoro was looking uncomfortable.

"Zoro, this place is full of guards and security cameras. If you're wearing the clothes, you can't pass through walls or check what's ahead of us without being seen. If you insist, you can leave the swords here, but frankly, I'd feel better knowing you can be armed at a moment's notice if it comes to a fight."

She looked at him seriously. "We all trust each other with our lives. Do you really think you can't trust us with your swords?"

Zoro stared at her for a moment, then sat back with an air of resignation. "Okay, fine. So, me and Luffy. Who else?"

"I'm going, of course," Nami said. "Usopp should go—"

"Why me?"

"Because you can be a quick thinker when you need to be, and a sniper might be useful, too."

Usopp slumped at the table, whimpering. Chopper patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"And Sanji-kun should come, in case we do end up in a fight."

"Swap with me, Robin?" Usopp begged. "I probably shouldn't go, after all. I think my 'can't-enter-big-scary-military-base' disease is starting to act up."

"I wouldn't be in such a hurry to take Robin's place, Usopp," Nami said. "And this way, you'll have Zoro to protect you."

"Yeah," Luffy said. And me, too. And Sanji. And Nami."

Usopp looked slightly happier. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

"What about me?" Franky asked. "I still want to get a look at their weapons."

Nami smiled. "I haven't forgotten. Here's what I have in mind for you…"

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Nami, are you sure this is the place?"

"It must be. How many other caves do you see around here?"

Sanji checked his watch. "He's late."

Usopp moaned. "It's a trap, isn't it? I knew it! We're probably surrounded right now!"

"We're not," said Zoro's voice. "But there is someone here."

Luffy closed his eyes, trying to sense it for himself. Yes, there it was—a flicker of presence a little to the left, close enough to see the cave's entrance but far enough to retreat unnoticed. He opened his eyes.

"Hey, Traffy!" he called, waving. "Over here!"

Instantly, Nami's hand slapped across his mouth. "Shh!" she hissed. "Even if it is him, we don't want to draw anyone else's attention!"

"Oh, yeah. Oops," he mumbled around her hand. Nami released him with a sigh and silence fell again. After a couple of minutes, Luffy was starting to get bored. It was safe, wasn't it? There were no alarms or anything. Couldn't they get started now?

"You are an idiot." The faintly annoyed-sounding voice came from directly behind him. Luffy scrambled around to see Trey staring at him with disapproval. "You are trying to break into a high-security government installation. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would realize that stealth and _silence_ are required."

"Sorry, sorry!" Luffy bowed in a hasty apology.

"Wow," Usopp murmured. "You guys weren't kidding. He looks just like him—I mean, aside from the whole being a kid thing. He even has his hat, kind of."

Straightening, Luffy looked at the boy in front of him. Trey had changed out of his hospital uniform and now wore a mottled dark gray tunic and pants, with boots made of a dull black leather. His head was covered by a close-fitting hat, smaller than his old one but very similar in shape. This one, however, was black, peppered with specks of gray.

"It should be white, though," Luffy said, pointing to the hat.

Trey blinked, then gave a huff of impatience. "I'm not here to be fashionable. Light colors are not conducive to a stealth mission. Much like shouting." He fixed the yellow straw hat with a disapproving look. "You should have left that behind."

"No." Luffy tugged at the brim. "It stays with me."

Trey sighed again. "I suppose I should be grateful you at least wore black—though that's not actually the best color for blending into darkness. But never mind. Are you ready to go?"

"Wait." Sanji stepped forward, looking down at Trey. "Why are you helping us? You work for a government hospital; you've got no reason to help someone break into a government facility."

"That's my business."

"I'd say it's ours, too," Nami said. "After all, you could be leading us into a trap."

"I'm not!"

"Then prove it," Sanji said. "Answer the question."

For the first time, Trey looked slightly uncomfortable. "I don't know," he said after a few seconds' pause. "I heard you say you needed to get in and just…felt like I should help." He shook off his unease, narrowing his eyes at Sanji. "If you'd rather leave, feel free."

Sanji looked at him for a moment. "No, I'm good," he said.

Trey eyed the four visible Straw Hats. "If any of you get caught, I won't save you." With a quiet click, a light flickered to life at his waist. He spun on his heel and stalked into the cave. "This way. You are not to smoke while we're inside. And keep quiet if you'd like to return with your vocal cords intact."

Usopp swallowed. "Nice kid, isn't he?"

"Adorable." Sanji took one last drag on his cigarette, then ground it out and strode into the darkness. "Let's just hope he knows what he's doing."

* * *

The cave led into an underground tunnel, which became drier and more evenly shaped the farther they went. After an hour or so of walking, they began to hear the hum of machinery through the stone above them.

"Are we almost there?" Luffy asked in an excited whisper.

Trey spoke without turning around. "We're close to entering the base itself. Once we do, there will be no speaking _of any kind_ without my permission. Is that understood?"

Luffy nodded, then realized Trey wouldn't see it. "I know, Traffy."

" _Why_ do you keep calling me that?" Trey muttered in exasperation. "I'm risking my neck for no real reason, and you can't even get my name right."

"Don't take it personally," Nami whispered soothingly. "Luffy nicknames almost everyone."

A soft huff answered her, then they walked in silence for a few more minutes before Trey held up a hand to stop them. "The tunnel becomes much smaller here, before coming out into the base. When we reach the end of the tunnel, you will wait for me there while I make sure their security won't be a problem." He waited for their nods of acknowledgment. "Now, watch your heads, and no more talking."

The tunnel did indeed get smaller. Before long, even crouching wasn't enough, and they were forced to drop to their knees. Luffy could feel a presence just ahead of him, and reflected that Zoro could simply walk through the rock without crouching at all. _I guess the view would probably get pretty boring after a while,_ _though_ _._

Trey halted suddenly, twisting to run a hand along the stone above him. His fingers snagged on something, and he gave a satisfied smile. He looked at them all, pointing his finger first at them, then at the ground, before finally holding it to his lips. They nodded again, and he snapped off his light, plunging them into darkness. A few seconds later, there was a soft click, followed by a creak. Next came a soft rustling of cloth as Trey hauled himself upward, and the Straw Hats were alone.

It felt like they sat there in the dark for hours, or maybe days. Several times, Luffy opened his mouth, barely catching himself before speaking. This might be an exciting adventure, but it sure had some boring parts in it. Zoro, he noticed, wasn't close by like he had been before, and Luffy figured he was either following Trey or getting a look at the place for himself. Could ghosts see in the dark? Luffy didn't know. _I hope he doesn't get lost,_ he thought.

A quiet creak came from above, and dim light shone into the tunnel as Trey raised the trapdoor. "We have two minutes," he hissed. "Come now; be quiet."

They slipped out of the tunnel into a wide room filled with rows of boxes. Some sort of storage room, Luffy supposed. Trey closed the trapdoor behind them, and it all but disappeared into the dark floor. He led them quickly through the stacks, but the room was large enough that the two minutes were nearly up by the time Trey crouched beside a wall and yanked at a grate. He hurriedly waved them through. Barely two seconds after he had followed them inside and pulled the grate back into place, a low hum filled the room and Luffy caught a brief flash of light through the metal bars.

Trey let out a quiet breath, slumping against the wall. For just a moment, he looked every bit the child he was. Then his face hardened and he rose to his feet, slipping past them down the maintenance corridor with a curt gesture to follow.

The next several minutes were spent navigating a maze of tunnels and corridors. Twice, Trey led them along a narrow catwalk high above the floor. The rooms below them were occupied, and Luffy was tempted to hold his breath as they scuttled quietly across.

Trey finally stopped outside a small door. He put his ear to it, but after a few seconds, he shook his head and pulled away. "The room outside is unguarded for five minutes every two hours during shift rotation," he whispered. "That should be in about fifteen minutes, but I can't tell just by listening. If we time it wrong, we'll have to take out the guards before they can raise the alarm—but they'll be discovered within minutes anyway, which could make getting out more difficult."

"Okay." Luffy cracked his knuckles in what he hoped was a quiet manner. "We'll be ready."

"Wait." The barest rumble of Zoro's whisper sounded in Luffy's ear. "Let me go. I'll tell you when they leave."

"Oh." Luffy looked at the air to his left. "I guess that would work, too."

"Shh!" Trey fixed him with a glare. "What are you babbling about?"

Luffy grinned at him. "Our friend can tell when the room's empty. He'll let us know when it's clear."

Trey looked from Luffy to Usopp to Sanji suspiciously. "What friend? How?"

"It's a secret," Luffy told him.

Trey's gaze darkened. "You expect me to risk my life in ignorance?"

"We're trusting you with ours," Nami pointed out. "What do you have to lose? If our friend is wrong, we take out the guards, just like you said. There's no harm in trying it our way."

Trey's lips thinned. "Fine. I hope your _friend_ knows what he's doing."

* * *

Fifteen minutes was a long time to wait, especially with a brooding twelve-year-old sending you looks every few seconds. Luffy had tried to start up a whispered conversation a few times, but both Nami and Usopp had hushed him, and Trey had threatened to leave them there if any of them spoke another word before it was time to go.

So Luffy was reduced to staring at the wall across from him, trying to find shapes in the shadows cast by the various pipes and wiring running along it. _That one there look_ _s_ _a bit like an elephant…_ He sighed. If he could make himself invisible like Zoro, he could just run to the treasure room right now. None of this silly waiting around. And then they could go eat. Luffy's stomach rumbled. He'd eaten a lot at dinner, but it never seemed to last. His appetite had grown by leaps and bounds as he grew healthier and stronger—a good sign, he was sure.

All the same, though, it would be kind of nice to _not_ be hungry just now. _I should have brought a snack_ , he thought, looking around in hope that there might be some food hiding in one of the corners.

"Luffy."

He had been expecting that whispered voice. Hoping for it. But it startled him anyway—perhaps even more so because of the anticipation—and Luffy only just managed to bite back a yelp. Everyone looked toward him at the muffled noise, their bodies tensing in readiness for a fight.

"It's empty." Zoro's words were a soft buzz in his ear. "Go now."

Luffy nodded. "Time to go," he announced.

Trey studied his face for a few seconds before snapping his gaze away and stepping up to the door. "You'd better be ready to move if you're wrong," he muttered, before reaching up to ease the door open.

Zoro wasn't wrong. Unattended security monitors glowed along the walls in front of empty chairs, and Luffy saw Trey relax a fraction as he took in the deserted room. The boy hurried forward and slipped into a chair.

"What are you doing?" Luffy settled himself backwards into a neighboring chair.

"Making the rest of the way a little easier." Trey's eyes never left the screen, fingers flying over the controls.

"Oh. That's good."

Luffy watched in silence for a minute. It was strange, to be so close to his old friend, and yet so far away. It had taken a long time to get Law to openly acknowledge their friendship, and now here was this boy who didn't remember any of it. Had Zoro felt like this, when he'd seen them before their memories returned?

His stomach rumbled again, distracting him from his thoughts. He was just wondering if the guards kept any snacks in the room and if so, where they might be, when Trey stood abruptly from his seat. "Let's go. This way."

The rest of the trip was both tenser than before and somewhat anticlimactic. There were plenty of guards moving about, but Trey seemed to know exactly where they would be, and it was childishly easy to avoid them. Barely half an hour later, they were peeking around the corner of a hall containing a large, solid vault door at the end of it. Unfortunately, it also contained four guards.

They ducked back out of sight. Nami tapped Trey's shoulder to get his attention. _What now?_ she mouthed.

His lips curved upward, just a little. Stepping back from the corner, he backtracked to the nearest door along the wall and tapped at the access panel. It slid open silently and he gestured for them to enter.

The room was small, barely large enough for the five of them. Rows of weapons and armor lined the walls. Unlike the room Luffy had found before, these were quite modern. Luffy eyed a protective vest critically. It might be more useful against guns and energy weapons and that sort of thing, but old-fashioned suits of armor like the one he'd worn earlier were just so much _cooler_.

"Hey, you think Franky would like any of this stuff?" he asked, fiddling with the scope on a laser rifle.

"Leave it, Luffy," Nami told him. "We can't carry something like that around with us. Don't worry about Franky—he'll get his chance."

Trey edged past them to the far side of the room, where a few seconds fiddling had a hidden panel swinging outward to reveal a narrow ladder.

"Another maintenance tunnel?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.

"No." Trey said shortly. "This one's so their soldiers can get to important areas like weapons storage without being seen, in case of an invasion." He ducked into the opening and began to climb.

"Cool!" Luffy followed eagerly.

They were forced to crawl again as Trey led them along a tight passage, but they were out of sight of the guards, and just a couple of minutes later they were dropping down through a formerly-locked hatch into Greysaber's treasure room.

It was a wide, domed room illuminated by soft lights. Shelves and cabinets filled most of the center, while the walls were lined with individual vaults. In the distance, Luffy could see the hulking shapes of items too large or unwieldy to fit anywhere else.

"Wow." Nami's eyes lit up as she took in the sight. "There's so much in here…I wish we could take it all…"

"So, you were lying when you said you weren't coming here to get rich."

"O-of course we weren't!" Nami looked somewhat abashed, but her eyes kept flicking to the wall vaults and the tempting glitter of items on the shelves. "We came for the devil fruit. It's just, you know, as long as we're here…"

Trey huffed. "Suit yourself."

"We actually made it." Usopp leaned against a wall in relief.

"Don't get too comfortable," Sanji said. "We still have to get out again, remember."

"Don't remind me," Usopp moaned.

"It was easier than I thought it'd be getting here, though." Nami looked at Trey. "How do you know so much about this place?"

Trey shrugged. "I've always found ways to get where I want to go."

"Do you know where the devil fruit is?" Luffy asked him.

"In one of the vaults," Trey said. "Don't ask me which one. They like to move things around to discourage thieves."

Usopp groaned. "You mean we have to open every one of these things until we find them? That'll take way too long!"

"Well, we'll just have to get started," Nami said. "L—um, Trey—do you know how to pick locks?"

He gave her a withering look. "Of course I do."

"Then you start on that side." She pointed to the far wall. "Usopp, go with him. Sanji-kun, you and I will take this side."

"Of course, Nami-swan!"

"What about me?" Luffy asked, as Trey and Usopp crossed the room.

"You see if our _friend_ can help us find which vault it is a little bit faster. Zoro, you can just pass through them, right?"

There was no answer.

"Zoro!" Nami hissed. Still nothing. "That idiot, I _told_ him to stay with us!" She spun on her heel and stalked toward her side of the vaults. "Fine," she muttered. "Whatever. At least we don't have to worry about him having a way out. Luffy, just—just stand in the middle of the room so you can see when one of us finds it."

"Okay." Luffy took off down an aisle, peering with interest at the crowded shelves. He wasn't too worried; Zoro could take care of himself, and Luffy knew he wasn't far away, even if he hadn't followed them inside the vault. Luffy reached a hand up to touch the white katana hanging at his back. He hoped Zoro wouldn't need it.

The shelves made a good distraction. He was soon busily occupied in pulling out drawers and boxes, and Usopp was almost on top of him before Luffy noticed he was there.

"We found them!" Usopp's voice was breathless with excitement. "There's a ton of them, come and see—"

"Go get Nami and Sanji," Luffy told him, before sprinting off the way Usopp had come.

He found Trey leaning against a vault. Next to him, two others stood open, and as Luffy drew closer, he could see a number of odd-looking fruit piled inside the nearest one.

"Wow!" Luffy skidded to a halt, taking in the view. "So many!"

"You're not planning to take them all, are you?" Trey asked.

"Nope!" Luffy said. "Just if they have one of the ones we're looking for."

"Good. The more you take, the more likely the organization will come after you once they realize they're gone."

"Well, they already let us go once. Maybe they'd do it again."

"Let you go? When? What for?" Trey tensed, eyes darting toward the exit. "They don't just let people go. If you were caught trying to sneak in here—"

"Don't worry, don't worry! I just wanted to borrow some of this really cool armor they had, and they didn't like that. But I gave it back, so it's fine."

"It is _not_ fine! You never said—"

"Luffy!" Nami came running up, Sanji and Usopp right behind her. "Have you looked at them yet? Are any of them—"

"Don't know yet."

Nami hurried over to the first vault and began inspecting the fruit. Luffy poked his head inside the second. There weren't as many in this one, and they were boxed separately. Luffy spotted a strip of purple peeking from one of the boxes, and reached for it quickly. It looked like the right color…could it really be this easy? Was this one his?

He wrenched off the lid and looked inside. No. This wasn't the Gomu-Gomu no Mi. A sour taste rose in his mouth as he looked at the fruit, with its pointed purple sections crowned by green leaves. He shuddered involuntarily. He didn't recognize the fruit, but he knew he didn't want anything to do with it. Shoving the lid back on the box, he pushed it aside and reached for another.

 

* * *

 

Nothing, nothing, nothing. How could these people have so many devil fruit and yet none of them were the ones they were looking for? Nami reached into the back of the vault, pulling the last few forward. One was green, with a slightly square shape. Another was squat and rounded, its color a deep pink. She'd seen them in Robin's book, but couldn't remember the names. She knew they weren't the right ones, anyway.

The next had pale, slightly translucent skin. This one she knew. Glancing at Sanji, Nami quickly shoved the Suke Suke no Mi back into the vault. Sanji may have claimed to have no interest in it anymore, but that had been a long time ago, and if he had it right in front of him… The last thing they needed was another crew member who could become invisible. Zoro was more than enough, and at least she could be reasonably sure he wouldn't watch her in the shower.

She looked down at the last fruit in front of her. It was a shocking yellow and slightly smaller than the rest. No good. With a sigh, she put it back on the pile. "Nothing," she called to the others.

"Seriously? But there were so many in there!" Usopp groaned. "We went through all this, broke into a really dangerous place—which we still have to escape, by the way—and they don't even have the right ones?"

"Well, not in this one." Nami looked toward the second vault. "Luffy, are any of ours in there?"

"No."

"Damn." Sanji looked around the vault. "Well, that's it, then. Guess we should start thinking about getting out of here."

"Yeah." Nami sighed in disappointment. "At least this way they won't have any reason to come after us for stealing a fruit, I suppose."

"No," Usopp said, "they'll just come after us for all that stuff you have crammed in your bag."

Nami shifted her backpack, checking to make sure no suspicious glimmers were visible. "Well, it's a treasure room! You can't expect me to leave empty handed, and since we're not taking a fruit—"

"Yes, we are."

Blinking, Nami turned to look at Luffy. His head was still inside the vault, but there was a tenseness in the lines of his back that made her uneasy. "What do you mean? I thought you said none of ours were in there."

"They're not." Luffy pulled back and turned to face them, clutching something in his hand. "But I can't let these guys keep this one."

Nami gasped as she saw what he held. Beside her, Sanji muttered a curse. In the dim light, the orange-red fruit trembled in Luffy's hand, its swirls and points dancing like the flames they so resembled.

"That's…" Usopp stepped forward, staring at the fruit.

"Ace's fruit." Luffy gripped the Mera-Mera no Mi tightly. "And Sabo's. I'm taking it."

"All right." In his place, Nami didn't think she could have left it there either—and besides, devil fruit counted as treasures, right? They had come here for a fruit. It would be a shame to go without taking _any_.

"If you've got what you wanted, it's time to leave," Trey said.

"I second that!" Usopp raised a hand.

"Luffy? Ready to go?" Nami asked.

"Yeah." Luffy tucked the fruit into his bag. ""I guess we'll have to keep looking for ours."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely find 'em." Usopp patted Luffy's shoulder. "But right now we've got to make a daring escape!"

* * *

This time, Trey led them past the ladder to the weapons storage room. They couldn't be sure that the changes he had made to the security system were still in place, so the farther they could get from the vault before venturing into open corridors, the better.

At last, Trey judged they were far enough away to take the risk. Moving through the cramped tunnels was slow going—not to mention painful for the knees—and they were all relieved when they emerged into a deserted hallway some time later.

At least until the alarms began sounding, barely a minute after they'd left their cover.

Trey's eyes flew wide and he leaped into a sprint, gesturing at them to follow.

"Shit. Have they seen us?" Sanji asked as they ran.

"Not yet," Trey answered tersely. "But they know we're here."

"How?" Nami asked. "We didn't trip anything, did we?"

"I don't know."

Ahead, they could hear voices and the noise of many feet.

"They're going to cut us off!" Usopp began to slow down. "Maybe we should go back—"

Trey didn't look at him. "No. Move."

There was a door ahead of them, just before the intersection from which the soldiers were coming. They made it just in time, Trey hitting the lock on the way in. The bad news was that the room was already occupied. They good news was that it was occupied only by three startled-looking clerks. They had received only the most basic self-defense training and were unconscious in seconds, but the brief scuffle had made some noise, and there were now soldiers in the hall outside.

"Please be soundproof," Usopp begged in a whisper. "Please be soundproof, please be soundproof—"

"Shh!" Nami hissed at him.

They waited, tensed and ready to fight or flee at a moment's notice. The seconds ticked by in silence. Slowly, muscles relaxed and they began to breathe more freely. They spared a few glances for each other, wondering what to do now, whether it was safe to move on yet.

"What happened?" Nami asked at last. "How do they know we're here now, if they didn't on the way in?"

Trey was frowning. "They shouldn't have," he said. "We didn't pass through any alarm points, and if we'd been seen on camera they would have located us already." He folded his arms, thinking deeply. Abruptly, his eyes snapped up to stare at Nami. "Give me your bag."

"What? Why?"

Trey held out a hand in an impatient gesture. "The treasure you took may have been bugged. I need to check it."

"This isn't the first time I've stolen something," she said indignantly. "I know to check for that sort of thing."

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for it."

Reluctantly, she handed him the backpack. It took him less than a minute to inspect the items and confirm that they were indeed free of any security measures. His gaze shifted next to Luffy.

"Your turn. Give me that fruit."

Luffy passed him the Mera-Mera no Mi. Trey's slim fingers felt carefully around the jagged, flame-shaped sections. It didn't take long. With a hiss of annoyance, he pulled out a tiny electronic device, painted orange to blend in perfectly with the fruit.

"Damn it." Trey examined the device. "It's one of their more valuable fruits, of course they would have bugged it. Why didn't I check before we left?"

Usopp looked at the door in a panic. "What if those guys earlier didn't actually leave? They could be outside right now, waiting to shoot!"

Trey shook his head. "This type of tracker isn't very precise—they can tell it's left the vault, but it'll take time to narrow down the location. That's the only reason they're not already breaking down the door. But any second now—"

There was a sudden banging from the other side of the door.

"Right." Trey flashed Usopp a grim smile. " _Now_ they're outside, waiting to shoot."


	11. The Science of Distraction

"Okay, that's it, we're dead!" Usopp slumped against one of the desks.

Trey rubbed his forehead. "Is he always like this?"

"He did mostly grow out of it," Sanji said, "but he's been having a bit of a relapse lately."

The banging came again, accompanied by a loud voice demanding they open the door.

"They won't wait for a key," Trey said, strolling away from the door. "We have a minute at most before they start blasting their way in." All traces of panic had left the boy's face. His tone was casual and he appeared utterly unconcerned by the prospect of imminent death.

"So? You got any bright ideas, kid, or are we fighting our way out?" Sanji sounded just as relaxed as Trey, but his fingers were twitching toward the cigarettes in his pocket.

"I didn't choose this room on a whim," Trey said over his shoulder. "Though the tracking device presents a complication. This way."

There was a door in the back that led into another office, this one empty. A door led from that room into another hall, but Trey, after locking the door they'd come through, directed them to a supply closet along the far wall.

"Get in," he told them. "Stay quiet and wait for me."

"Why don't we all just go out that way?" Luffy pointed to the door to the hall.

Trey held up the electronic bug. "Because as long as we have this, they can find us. I have to take care of it."

"Oh, that's easy," Luffy snatched it from Trey's hand, dropped it on the ground, and raised his foot to stomp.

"No!" Trey shoved Luffy hard, sending him sprawling to the floor. "Don't destroy it." He bent down and carefully retrieved the device.

"Why not?" Luffy scrambled to his feet, rubbing his backside.

"Because then its last known location will be here, and they will be much more likely to discover which passages we're using. I can move more easily on my own, so I'm going to use it to lead them away from this area."

"Oh. That's pretty smart."

They could hear a hissing whine from the first room now, as the soldiers' laser weapons began to cut through the thick metal of the outer door.

Trey pushed them toward the closet. "In. Lock the door and keep your mouths shut. I'll come back for you after I've lost them, so wait here." Then he turned and sprinted for the hall door, pulling his hat lower to shield his face as he left.

"Come on, Luffy, let's go!" Usopp tugged at his arm, but Luffy didn't move. "Luffy, if we don't get inside right now, they're going to see us!"

"If they see us, it doesn't matter." Luffy said. "We can just fight our way out. But Traffy lives on this island. He'll be in trouble if they see his face."

"That's true," Sanji said. "He'd have to leave the island."

"That might be a good thing," Nami said. "The way they treat children here…"

"I don't disagree with you, Nami-san," Sanji said. "But this is still his home. If he leaves, it should be because he wants to, not because he'd be killed for staying."

There was a sudden crash from the first room, followed by shouts.

"But he can take care of himself, right?" Usopp glanced nervously at the door that was now the only thing separating them from the soldiers in the other room. "I mean, it's Law, after all…"

"He doesn't remember that, though," Nami said. "It's easy to forget because he's very mature for his age and we knew him before, but he's still just a kid."

"The whole point of what he's doing is to lead them away from us!" Usopp gestured at the door. "That tracker won't be much of a distraction if they see us here anyway!"

"I'm not going to hide in a closet while he's out there trying to help us," Luffy said.

Usopp's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said. "But what can we do?"

"We should make a distraction," Luffy said. "Then they might not pay attention to Traffy."

"Hey, hey, we don't want them to pay too much attention to us, either!" Usopp protested. "There's got to be something we can do besides just throwing ourselves at an entire army!"

"Then maybe we need a distraction for our distraction." Nami held up a baby den den mushi. "Franky," she said, "are you and Robin ready to make some noise?"

" _All set,_ _S_ _is,"_ came Franky's voice. _"So we_ _finally_ _get to have some fun, huh?_ _I was starting to think you were gonna leave us sitting here all night._ _"_

"Yes, it looks like things aren't going to go as smoothly as we hoped. Where are you now?"

" _Outside the west end of the base,"_ Robin said. _"There_ _'_ _s a building nearby that appears to be a weapons depot."_

"Okay, go ahead and start. Just don't go in too deep; you'll need to pull out once we're clear."

" _Got it,"_ Franky said. _"See you guys in a bit."_

"Still wish you'd switched with Robin, Usopp?" Nami asked. "If you had, you'd be about to break into this place in full view of their soldiers – and all those weapons they have handy out there."

"No," Usopp said. "I should have switched with Chopper or Brook. Then I would be waiting safely on the ship."

"I don't think anywhere on this island really counts as 'safe' for us," Nami said.

The hissing noise came again, and they looked over to see the door's lock glowing red and starting to melt.

"It's safer than here," Usopp muttered. But he was making an effort to pull himself together, now that they had stopped running and the moment of battle was almost upon them. He backed up to the far wall to give himself some range, and if his kabuto shook slightly in his hands, the others pretended not to notice.

"Of course," Nami said as the last of the lock began to disintegrate, "this would be much easier if a certain someone hadn't wandered off and gotten himself lost as usual."

"Never mind the idiot marimo, Nami-san." Sanji faced the door with a quiet eagerness. "We don't need him to handle these guys. And this way they won't see him."

"I suppose that's something," Nami admitted. "This group is pretty low on this list of people I'd want to find out about us."

The door flew open with a crash. Soldiers stormed into the room. Luffy found himself wishing the place was bigger—there wasn't much room to move in this office. Maybe that was why his heart was pounding so hard as he saw the oncoming enemies.

The soldiers opened fire, and the Straw Hats did their best to dodge. There were good things about fighting in offices too, Luffy reflected, ducking behind a desk. But space was a problem. The far side of the room was completely filled with soldiers now, and there were so many laser bolts and projectiles flying through the air that it would be nearly impossible to cross even the short distance between them without getting hit. It would be dangerous for Nami to use electricity in such close quarters, as well.

_If we were in that room with all the cool weapons, I could grab some more armor, or a shield or something._ Annoyed, Luffy slammed a fist against the desk. It slid sideways with a small squeaking noise. Luffy blinked and looked down to see sturdy wheels mounted at each corner of the desk. He grinned as a plan came to him.

Backing up as far as he could without putting himself in the line of fire again, Luffy took a quick look to make sure he had a clear path, then ran forward in a crouch. His outstretched palms slammed into the side of the desk, and it rolled forward. Jerkily at first, then faster and faster as he built up momentum.

There was a sudden break in the gunfire ahead of him as soldiers scrambled to get clear before the desk ploughed into them. A couple didn't move quickly enough and were thrown back against the wall as Luffy gave a final shove and leaped up from behind the desk.

His fist was already moving as he rose, and it connected solidly with the chin of the soldier in front of him. The man crashed to the floor, Luffy spinning past him to avoid retaliation by another soldier who'd been a bit quicker off the mark and had her weapon back in firing position.

A black-clad leg flew past on his right, and Luffy spared Sanji a quick smile. They'd had no warning of what he'd been about to do, but both Sanji and Nami had followed right along with him, making the most of the sudden opportunity. Usopp too, he noted, as the soldiers were hit with several small explosions.

Now the lack of space had the soldiers at a disadvantage. With the Straw Hats in among them they could no longer use their weapons freely, and their attempts at close-range combat were hindered by the number of people they had crammed into the small room. Within a few minutes, the last one had gone down.

Luffy looked around for more. He could feel the beginnings of tiredness, but he knew he could keep going for a while yet. He felt a small spark of satisfaction. Even a month or two ago, he would probably have had to stop and rest for a bit after a fight on top of so much running around. _I really am getting stronger,_ he thought.

"Are you all right, Luffy?" Nami asked, as though she'd read his mind.

"I'm fine!" he told her. "Come on, let's go catch up with Traffy."

"How are we going to find him?" Usopp asked as they ran into the hall. "With all the tunnels in this place, he could be anywhere!"

"That way, I think," Sanji said, pointing to the left. "Can you feel him, Luffy?"

Luffy concentrated. It was difficult to pick out Trey's presence among the thousands of other people in the base. He had a slightly different feel from Luffy's memories of Law, and it was harder to get a clear focus. But there were similarities, and he reached for them now. Yes, there was a nebulous presence ahead, and Sanji was right—going left would probably get them closer.

They sprinted down the hall, making turns as needed and occasionally backtracking when it became apparent they had gone too far. Twice they ran into more guards, but surprise was on their side and they managed to get past them without too much trouble.

At last they ran into a long open room full of machinery, and Luffy knew they'd reached their goal. Even if he hadn't felt Trey's presence ahead, the several dozen soldiers closing in on the far corner would have been enough of a clue.

"Hey!" Most of the men turned at Luffy's shout, their weapons swinging around to home in on the new threat.

The soldiers wasted no time in opening fire, but there were two things which separated this situation from the one in the office, and Luffy intended to take full advantage of them. First, this time they had space. In spite of the rows of machinery, there was plenty of room to move about. If Luffy had had his rubber powers, he wouldn't have had much trouble using even his wildest attacks here.

And second, the soldiers seemed reluctant to damage most of the tech in the room. They were carefully keeping their fire to the aisles and gaps between the machines, and while their aim was disturbingly close whenever a Straw Hat appeared within their line of sight, it still gave Luffy and the others plenty of options to close the distance between them.

Usopp and Nami were already striking back from a distance, and a number of shrieks filled the air as the soldiers found themselves attacked by hungry plants and blasts of electricity. By the time Luffy and Sanji got to them, almost a dozen of the soldiers had already been taken out.

"Nami, Usopp, leave some for us!" Luffy called. Then he quickly scrambled to the right to avoid the muzzle of a laser rifle.

As it turned out, the remaining soldiers were still more than enough to play with. Once they were no longer able to use their guns effectively, out came blades and a variety of other hand-to-hand weapons, some crackling with electricity or humming ominously. Sanji attempted to strike one of the few who didn't have a visible weapon, only to be countered by above average skills in martial arts.

If Luffy hadn't had his Observation Haki to draw on, things might have gotten sticky. He was barely holding on as it was, and though he had taken down five of the soldiers, his body was informing him that both rest and food were required immediately. He could feel himself slowing down as he spun and ducked, trying to take on three at once.

"Luffy! Sanji! Cover your eyes!"

Usopp's shout carried easily over the noise of battle, and Luffy responded instantly, throwing himself back from his opponents and squeezing his eyes shut. A moment later, Usopp's voice rang out again, this time screaming an attack.

" _Super Flash Star!_ "

With a loud cracking noise, the world went white. Even behind his closed eyes, Luffy felt blinded. At almost the same instant, he felt a tug at his back, and heard the soft rasp of steel. He tensed, ready to beat the crap out of whoever had dared to touch Zoro's sword, but then his thoughts caught up with his senses and he recognized the strong comforting presence standing over him.

"Stay here." Zoro's voice was a soft whisper in his ear. "I'll finish it."

Zoro swept into action like a silent tornado. He never spoke, didn't call out the names of any attacks, but the room soon filled with the choked cries of soldiers as they fell. Usopp's light was beginning to fade now, but the damage had been done, and the half-blind soldiers never saw the spectral face of their attacker.

When he felt Zoro's hand on his shoulder, Luffy decided to try opening his eyes. The lighting in the room was almost back to normal, though bright white spots still danced in his vision.

Zoro slid Wadō back into its sheath, then faded from sight. Luffy would have liked him to stay visible, but there was no more blinding light to hide Zoro from view, and if any of the soldiers woke up while they were still there, he would be discovered.

"Sorry I'm late," Zoro murmured. "You were doing pretty good, though."

Luffy felt a rush of pride. He had done well, hadn't he? Okay, these guys weren't nearly as strong as some of the people he had fought before, but they were trained professionals, not so different from the marines they had once fought, and within the last hour, he had taken out more than a dozen on his own. With only an occasional use of Armament Haki, even.

"Where were you?" Luffy asked. "Did you get lost once we got to the vault?"

"I didn't get lost!" Zoro whispered heatedly. "I couldn't get through the walls. The damn thing blocked me somehow."

"Marimo, it's a lot easier to buy that you were being your usual self than to believe that they ghost-proofed a room that big, intentionally or not." Sanji stood over Luffy, a cigarette settled firmly in his grinning mouth. "If you really couldn't get in, you should have waited at the door for us like a good boy."

"I was _trying_ to find another way in, asshole," Zoro growled.

"Sure, sure." Sanji waved a hand. "Well, not that I'm complaining. It would have been damn boring if you'd been here the whole time." He extended his arm to Luffy. "You okay there, Luffy?"

Luffy nodded, though he wobbled a bit as he rose to his feet. "I'm hungry," he told Sanji.

Sanji sighed, reaching into his bag. "Yeah, kind of figured that would happen at some point. Here." He tossed Luffy a packet, which turned out to contain three onigiri. "You'll have to make do with that until we get back to the Sunny."

Luffy gaped at him. "You had food the whole time? And you didn't tell me?"

"If I'd told you, it would have been gone five minutes after we left the ship, and you wouldn't have it now."

Okay, that was probably true, but hiding food from your captain had to be against some kind of pirate code or something. Still, it wasn't worth arguing about now. "Thanks, Sanji!" Luffy polished off the food at top speed. Meat would have been better, but even this much would give him some energy. Now they just had to—

"What was that?"

Luffy turned toward the corner of the room, where Trey had emerged from hiding and now stood staring at them with an unreadable expression in his face.

"Hey, Traffy!" Luffy waved at him. "I'm glad you're okay! They didn't see you, did they?"

"I told you…" Trey stepped forward slowly, unsure of his footing, as though the solid floor beneath his feet were a crumbling bridge. "I told you to wait in that room. I told you to hide. Do you _ever_ follow instructions?"

"Well—" Luffy began, but Trey wasn't done.

"You follow me here—somehow—and throw yourselves into battle without a care in the world. You really are crazy, aren't you?"

"Don't lump us all in with him," Nami said, as she and Usopp joined the group. "Some of us do think before we fight."

"And then—" Trey's eyes flicked hesitantly over the empty space beside Luffy. "At the end, after the light…there was something there." His gaze fixed on Luffy. "What was that?"

Luffy considered. Law had been a friend, and seemed to be one still. He wanted to tell him about Zoro, but that would take time, and he knew they needed to move.

"That was our friend," he said. "The one who told us when it was okay to go in that room with all the computers."

"So you did bring someone you're not telling me about." Trey's eyes narrowed. "What exactly—"

"Later," Luffy told him firmly.

Trey stared at Luffy for a long moment, then looked away abruptly. "Fine. Have it your way." He brushed past Luffy, moving toward the exit. "I've taken care of our little problem. We should get away from here as quickly as possible before more of them show up."

At that moment, the building around them vibrated with the echo of a distant explosion.

Trey spun around, eyes scanning the room for danger. "What was that?"

Nami's eyes twinkled. "I believe that was our distraction kicking in. We should probably get going while they're in full swing."

"Distraction?" The word was blade-sharp. " _What_ distraction?"

"We have another friend who wanted a closer look at Greysaber's weapon technology. I just convinced him to wait until we needed to draw attention away from us before he went in."

Trey's jaw clenched. "I'm sure you have a good reason for not mentioning this before."

"It wasn't important before. If we'd gotten in and out with no trouble, they wouldn't have moved until we were clear anyway."

Trey stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and Nami. He drew himself up as tall as possible, eyes locked on hers. "Any other surprises you've neglected to tell me about? More invisible friends or unwanted help?"

"No, I think that's all," Nami said.

"Good." Trey's voice was deceptively calm. "I know this base. I know this island. I can get you anywhere you need to go, safely, so long as you _follow my plan_. But you people seem incapable of doing that." He stepped back, glaring at the four of them. "I've risked enough for you. I don't know why I agreed to do this in the first place. Any more reckless deviations from any of you, and you're on your own."

"Look, you, do you even know why we followed you here in the first place?" Nami glared back at him, hands on hips. "We were worried about you! If they'd seen your face—"

"It's okay, Traffy," Luffy said, stopping Nami in her tracks. "You've helped us a lot already. If you want to just leave on your own, that's fine. It'd probably be easier to get out by yourself, huh?" He beamed at Trey. "Thanks a lot for getting us in here. You're a good friend."

Trey blinked, his glare sliding into a surprised expression. "Friend?" He scoffed at the idea. "We just met today. How can we be friends?"

"Silly, it doesn't matter how long you've known someone, a friend is a friend!"

Trey's mouth opened slightly. He lowered his head, his hat blocking his face from view—but not before they'd seen a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks. Abruptly he whirled, striding across the dark floor. "This way," he said gruffly. "You'd better keep up."

* * *

They just made it out of the room and around the corner before another group of soldiers appeared. Once the halls were clear again—for the moment—Trey found another maintenance tunnel for them, and they continued toward the exit.

"Why can't we just use the regular hallways?" Luffy complained. "It would be faster, wouldn't it?"

"The cameras in this area weren't altered," Trey said shortly. "And they're on alert now. We'd be surrounded in seconds."

Well, at least this tunnel was big enough to walk in. They hurried along, turning, climbing ladders, and occasionally dashing quickly through an open hallway to get to another tunnel. Only once did they meet any guards, and those were quickly taken care of. Between the tracking device and Franky and Robin's efforts, no one seemed to be paying attention to this part of the base.

In spite of taking a roundabout route, it seemed no time at all before they were crouching in front of a familiar grate, looking into the dark room beyond. They waited for the hum and flash of the security system, then hurried through the storage room and dropped through the trapdoor.

After that, it was just a matter of the long walk back through the cave tunnel to where they'd started. As they emerged, Luffy took a deep breath of the cool night air and stretched. The Mera-Mera no Mi was a comfortable weight at his side. Maybe they hadn't found the right fruit this time, but he still felt the mission had been a success. And it had been fun, this unexpected reunion with an old friend.

"What will you do now?" Trey asked.

Luffy hummed indecisively, turning to look back at the fortress towering above them. To the west, floodlights lit up the towers, along with the brighter flare of sporadic explosions. They could hear the boom of weapons fire in the distance.

"I guess we'll go see how Franky's doing," he said. "He's been working on something cool and he was gonna use it tonight and I want to see what it is."

"You're going back?" Trey shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Luffy grinned at him. "Hey, Traffy, come with us!"

"If you actually think I'd be interested in walking into that mess up there—"

"No, I mean when we leave the island."

Trey's face froze in surprise. "What?"

"Oi, Luffy, are you sure?" Usopp asked.

"Yeah! Come on an adventure with us. It'll be fun!"

Trey suddenly looked very young. "You…you actually want me to…" Something glimmered in the depths of his wide eyes, a longing for the freedom of the open sea that was far older than the boy in front of them. He took a tiny step, one hand twitching as if to reach for Luffy's arm. And then he stopped. Cool reserve settled about him like a cloak as the hand returned to his side. "No."

Luffy pouted. "Why not? This place isn't very nice, even if they have lots of cool armor and secret passages and stuff. You'd like it much better as a pirate."

"He's got a point," Sanji said. "No law-abiding citizen would have known their way around all those passages in there." He jerked his head at the fortress.

Trey allowed a hint of a smile to show on his face. "Perhaps. But I have my own plans here. I still have more to learn. I'm going to become a better doctor than anyone on this island. Then, maybe, I'll see what the rest of the world has to offer me."

"Chopper's already better than anyone here," Luffy said. "He can teach you."

"No," Trey repeated. "I'll do this my way. Besides, I couldn't possibly deal with people like you on a daily basis."

Luffy laughed, slapping Trey on the back. "You're still a good guy, Traffy. Then, we'll meet again at sea someday, okay?" He held out a hand. "It's a promise."

Trey straightened, rubbing his back. He looked vaguely disconcerted by the physical affection, but as he stared at Luffy's hand, a slow smile grew. "Fine." He reached out and took the hand. "A promise, then."

"Oh!" Luffy's face snapped in recollection. "I told you we'd explain stuff once we got out, didn't I?" He chewed his lip, glancing back toward the base. "But I really want to see how Franky's doing, and then we'll probably have to leave really fast—"

"Never mind," Trey said. "It can wait for next time. See you around. " He turned toward the city and began walking away. After a few steps, he paused and looked back. "You weren't so bad," he called to them, "for a bunch of crazy people."

"Yeah, love you too," Sanji called after him.

Luffy chuckled. "All right! Let's go get Franky and Robin!"

* * *

Nami pulled out the baby den den mushi as they ran for the west end of the base, skirting the city as much as possible.

" _Nami."_ Robin sounded slightly breathless. _"_ _Have you finished_ _?"_

"Yes, we're all out safely," Nami said. "We're heading your way now."

" _Understood. I believe Franky is satisfied for the moment, so we'll take our leave."_

"Then we'll meet up with you on the way back to the ship."

"But I wanted to see Franky's new invention," Luffy said.

"I'm sure he'll show it to you later if we don't get to see it now." Nami tucked the little snail away. "Getting away is more important!"

They were drawing close to the front of the base now. The enormous gates were less intimidating than they had been earlier that day, perhaps because their shape was less defined against the night sky, seeming more like a large shadow than a solid object. Or maybe it was simply that they were no longer an obstacle to be conquered, but an enemy that had already been defeated.

A shout drew Luffy's attention past the gates, where one of the distant lights resolved itself into the shape of a dark gray hovercar. Robin was driving, and he could see Franky waving triumphantly from the shotgun position, blue hair whipping in the wind.

"Yo, Luffy!" Franky called, as Robin pulled up beside them. "Hop in!"

The back seat hadn't been designed to hold four people, but they managed. Nami flatly refused Sanji's offer of a lap, though once they had piled in she found herself sitting next to him anyway.

"That everyone?" Franky asked. "All people and ghosts accounted for?"

"Yeah," Zoro's voice said from beside them. "Get going. I'll keep up."

"You'd better," Nami warned him. As the car shot forward again, she looked around, seeming to notice for the first time that the car was full of Straw Hats—and nothing else. "Franky, where are the weapons? After all that fussing about wanting to see them, did you just leave them all there?"

"Heh. Of course not."

Nami's brow furrowed. "But where—"

A sizzling bolt of blue-white energy struck the ground, barely missing the car.

"Go faster!" Usopp yelled.

The brief stop had eaten away most of the lead Franky and Robin had had, and the overloaded hovercar was unable to regain any ground. Shots were coming more frequently, and the soldiers' aim was slowly improving.

"We have to slow them down before we get to the ship!" Nami called over the wind and noise. "We won't be able to board Sunny and get out of range before they catch up to us!"

Usopp took a deep breath. "Right." He clutched his Kuro Kabuto tightly. "The Great Warrior Usopp will handle this! As the only one here with long distance attacks—"

Nami cleared her throat loudly.

"Oh, right. I guess Nami can, too. And maybe Zoro, sort of, but that might be hard for him right now… Um, but anyway, I will—"

"You can sit back and relax." Franky's grin was wide enough to rival Luffy's. "If these guys wanna play some more, I'll handle them _super_ easy."

"Ooohh, are you going to use that thing?" Luffy bounced excitedly in his seat. "What is it? Can we see it?"

"Sure thing, Bro." Franky stood in his seat, turning to face the approaching enemy. "You can have a front row seat to see my new super skills in action."

He held up his left arm. The bandages had been removed, and light glinted off a metal cuff embedded in his skin. Stretching from the back of Franky's hand nearly to his elbow, an intricate web of connecting bands and rods wrapped around the arm. The cuff was heavily etched with strange—yet strangely familiar—patterns, and set into the metal at hand, wrist, and forearm were three large crystals, all glowing gently.

"Franky…" Nami peered at the cuff. "Are those crystals from the portal array?"

"That's right." Franky twisted his arm to show it off, the crystals flashing as they caught the light. "No sense wasting good technology. Took me a while to get it working in a more compact form, though."

"But what are you going to do with it?" Nami asked. "We're trying to get off the island, not back to the other world."

"Heh. Just watch, Sis." At an invisible signal, the crystals flared to a dazzling brightness. There was a soft hum, and the engraving on the cuff began to glow as well, the dark grooves transforming into lines of light. The air to Franky's left shimmered. A circle of air about half the size of a man spun into existence, clearly visible even against the night sky and utterly black save for a few tendrils of mist at the edges.

Franky thrust his right arm into the hole. He pulled it back a second later, with a rounded, compact weapon in his hand. As soon as the weapon had cleared the opening, he flicked his left wrist. The portal crackled and flickered. When it stabilized, it looked just as dark as before, but Luffy somehow knew that the location of this patch of darkness was nowhere near the first one.

Bracing himself against the car's windshield, Franky brought his left arm up to cross his chest, and the portal followed, hovering in front of him like a shield. Seconds later, the next round of fire from the soldiers struck the center of it, the bolts swallowed by the darkness as if they had never existed.

Franky laughed. He edged the little gun around the side of the portal and returned fire. Several spinning disks of light shot from the sleek barrel and arced into the air with a whistling screech. The disks tore into the nearest hovercars before breaking apart in an explosion of electricity. The soldiers' screams filled the air even as the noise of engines died away. Abruptly reduced to airborne hunks of metal, the cars crashed to the ground. The vehicles behind them were unable to stop in time, and the night was lit by further explosions as men scrambled to get clear.

"Yeah, I think this'll be a keeper," Franky said, holding up the gun. "It's not much to look at, though. I would've made it bigger." He leaned back to rest against the windshield, though his shield arm remained up, and the gun returned to point in the general direction of the soldiers.

"That was awesome, Franky!" Luffy whooped. "Do you have more stuff in there?"

"Oh yeah." Franky grinned down at him. "I could fill a ship with all the stuff I've got in here."

"What about meat?" That was what he would put in it. He'd have a mountain of food at his fingertips wherever he went. Luffy couldn't help but drool at the thought.

"Sorry, Luffy." Franky winked at him. "I'll have to look into it for next time."

They were in the lower town by this time. Ahead, they could see the harbor and the dark glitter of the sea. The sounds of pursuit were far away now. As Sunny came into view, Franky lowered his left arm, the portal flickering out of existence as the light from the crystals dimmed. The little gun stayed ready in his hand.

"Luffy! Everybody!"

Luffy turned to see Chopper waving at them from Sunny's deck. "Hey, Chopper!" he called, waving back.

"Is everyone safe? Did you find anything?"

"Leave now, questions later!" Usopp leaped from the car as Robin stopped in front of the ship. The others followed and they hurried to unmoor Sunny from the dock.

"Is everyone here?" Nami asked after they'd scrambled aboard. "Where's Zoro?"

"Here." Zoro flickered into view near the main mast.

"He followed us all the way down to the ship without wandering off once?" Sanji looked at the others, jabbing a thumb at Zoro over his shoulder. "Are we sure we came back with the right ghost?"

"I'd be happy to reassure you, shit cook," Zoro said, tugging Shūsui free from Usopp's back. "Wouldn't want you to worry."

"All right, enough!" Nami snapped at them. "There will be plenty of time for that once we're out of here. Go make yourselves useful."

Slowly, Sunny began to pull away from the harbor. Luffy could see their pursuers in the distance. The soldiers were moving again, but were much too far away to make any difference. As the island receded from view, Luffy looked at the city's lights and smiled. Law—Trey—was there somewhere, as well as the new friends they had made. He hoped they'd see all of them again someday.

Once he was sure they were far enough out to sea that no more attacks would follow, Luffy hopped off the rail he'd been sitting on and went to find Sanji. Three onigiri were not in any way a proper substitute for an after-battle meal.

 

* * *

 

_This time, when he opened his eyes to darkness, he felt only excitement. He had been waiting for this to happen, hoping for it every night since he had woken up from the last dream. Or whatever this was._

" _Ace!" Luffy's shout echoed into the black world surrounding him. He waited, but there was no flare of light, no answering voice. "_ Ace! _"_

_Everything remained quiet, but rather than fear or worry, he felt a stab of impatience. They hadn't been able to stay here that long last time; what if Ace didn't come before he woke up?_

" _You're late," he muttered._

" _Or maybe you're early." Luffy blinked, and suddenly Ace was there, standing a few feet away and wearing a teasing grin._

" _Ace!" Luffy ran over to him. "What took you so long?"_

_Somehow his brother knew that Luffy wasn't referring to the past few minutes. "How long has it been since the last time?" Ace asked._

" _Weeks!" Luffy tilted his head. "You didn't know?"_

" _Time can be kind of screwy with things like this." Ace put a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Something important happened, right?"_

" _Yeah. We found…we found_ your _fruit._ _Yours and Sabo's._ _"_

" _The Mera-Mera?" Ace blinked. "What are you doing, finding mine before yours? I don't need it here."_

" _I didn't go looking for it on purpose!" Luffy protested. "But I couldn't leave it with those guys. Even now, I won't let just anyone have your fruit, Ace." He grinned. "Besides, Sabo might want it, when we see him."_

" _Luffy…" Ace's mouth twisted in a sad smile. "Don't get your hopes up too high, okay? Just because one person you knew came back, it doesn't mean everyone will. It doesn't mean Sabo will."_

" _I know that!" Luffy said. "But he_ could _—" He stopped, blinking up at Ace. "How did you know about Traffy? I didn't tell you that yet."_

_Ace froze. "H-hey, I might not be much good with time here, but I have ways of keeping an eye on my little brother."_

_Ace's grin was just a bit too stiff to be natural, Luffy thought._

" _So?" Ace asked. "Have you gotten stronger since last time?"_

_He was changing the subject, but the prospect of training with Ace was enticing enough that Luffy didn't protest. "Of course I have!" He rubbed his nose. "I beat up a whole bunch of guys today."_

_Ace raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I hope you're not too tired for that little test I promised you."_

_Luffy's eyes lit up. "No way!" He pushed back from Ace and dropped into a battle stance. "Let's go right now!"_

" _Hold up a minute." Ace looked at the black emptiness around them. "Why don't you make us a proper place to fight, first?"_

_Luffy stared at him. "How do I do that?"_

" _I told you before, didn't I? This is your dream. We're only standing in darkness because you haven't bothered to come up with anything else. Just think about it."_

" _Oh." Luffy closed his eyes, humming in concentration. It wasn't hard to think of the right place. Slowly, it took shape in his mind. Sunlight shining down through tall trees. A forest floor covered in green. To one side, a wooden board marked with chalk lines._

_And when he opened his eyes, the image was still there. A little fuzzy at the edges, perhaps, but warm and familiar and_ there _._

" _Ahh, brings back memories." Ace glanced at the scoreboard. "We'll have to keep it at just one match today, Luffy. There probably won't be time for anything more. But that'll be enough to see how far you've come. Ready?"_

_In answer, Luffy launched himself at his brother. He threw a punch, which Ace dodged, then followed it with a sweeping kick, trying to knock the other off his feet. Rather than backing away, Ace stepped forward, catching Luffy's leg with his own. Ace's hand flashed out, and Luffy felt a breeze on his face as he flung himself backward._

" _That eager, huh?" Ace grinned at him. "Okay then."_

_Ace was on the offensive now, and Luffy put everything he had into keeping up with him. He did all right, too, for a time. Once, he even landed a solid hit, when Ace left himself just a little too open after an attack. Ace staggered back, wheezing, and Luffy followed, ready to press his advantage._

_But his brother recovered faster than he expected, and though his fist grazed Ace's jaw, Luffy paid for it. A quick sequence of attacks by Ace left him off balance, and before he could recover Ace had pinned his arms and slammed him to the ground._

" _Not bad," Ace said from above him. "But it's my win, Luffy."_

_Luffy went limp and huffed a sigh of frustration. "It'll be different next time."_

" _Keep dreaming, little brother." Ace stood with a laugh and reached out a hand to help Luffy to his feet. "But continue like this and I might actually have to try next time."_

" _Jerk," Luffy muttered. He didn't care that much, though. The fight with Ace had excited him, made him feel more like his old self than_ _he had_ _even_ _during_ _the_ _escape from_ _Greysaber's base_ _. And Ace had, in a roundabout way, agreed he was getting stronger. That felt good, too._

_Their surroundings wavered, the forest scene beginning to dim._

" _Looks like we're done for now," Ace said._

" _No!" Luffy squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will himself to stay asleep. "Just a little longer—please!"_

_Ace's hand landed on his head, ruffling his hair. "That won't work, Luffy. You'll just have to wait for next time."_

_Luffy snapped his eyes open, looking desperately at Ace. "There'll definitely be a next time, right?"_

" _Of course." Ace shot him a confident smile as the world around him faded. "I've stuck with you this long, Luffy. I couldn't abandon you now even if I wanted to."_

 

* * *

 

The worn chair squeaked as the man leaned toward the screen. He ought to have replaced the chair years ago, but it was comfortable and served his purposes well enough. Besides, he liked old things. A lock of reddish-purple hair slipped in front of one eye as he shifted position. He pushed it away impatiently and resumed his intent study of the rather remarkable video he had received a short while ago. The previous footage had been entertaining, but this…this had potential.

Focused as he was, however, he did not miss the soft hiss of the door, nor the quiet footsteps which followed. He glanced up, confirming the identity of his visitor, then beckoned with a finger.

"There you are, boy. I want you to see something."

Frowning, the newcomer crossed the room. "I'm not a boy," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I'll be twenty in a few months."

The man waved a hand impatiently. "Yes, yes. Now pay attention. This is important."

The young man's lips thinned, but he obediently directed his gaze at the monitor in front of him.

"This was sent from Whitestone Island less than an hour ago. A group of pirates broke into Greysaber's vaults and escaped with a fair amount of valuables, including one devil fruit."

"Escaped?" An eyebrow arched up to disappear under golden bangs. "The organization isn't usually that incompetent."

"No, indeed." The man smiled. "I daresay someone will be having a few words with Whitestone's security force."

"Guess it's their lucky day," the blond said with a tight smile. "At least until Greysaber sends someone after them." Then he frowned, eyes snapping back to the other man. "Wait. Is that what this is about? You want me to catch them?" The frown deepened. "I told you, I have my own projects—"

The man shook his head. "That won't be necessary, for the moment. But I have reason to believe that these intruders may be something more interesting than a group of lucky fools." He tapped a key, and the video began playing.

The young man watched in silence for a few moments, then abruptly stiffened, his fists clenching. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Well, if they were trying to blend in, they're doing a terrible job. Do they think they're being clever, dressing like that?"

The man reached up and smacked the back of the blond head. "I've taught you better than to leap to conclusions before seeing all the evidence."

"Fine." The young man rubbed the back of his head irritably. "Show me the rest of your 'evidence', then."

With a few more taps, the scene changed, showing the intruders facing off with some of Greysaber's guards in a large room. The young man watched as the guards' numbers were slowly whittled away.

"Well, they've got most of the attacks right," he said. "That doesn't prove anything except that they've got access to better sources of historical information than the general public."

"Keep watching."

The young man lapsed into silence again. A minute later, he turned away with a hiss as a brilliant light filled the screen. "A warning would have been nice," he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

"My apologies." The man dimmed the monitor's brightness slightly. "Now, watch this bit carefully. Pay special attention to the upper right, there, just as the light begins to fade."

Shielding his eyes against the glare, the young man leaned forward, one hand coming to rest on the back of the old chair. As the light dimmed, his eyes narrowed, then suddenly flew wide. "What is that?"

The purple-haired man paused the video, looking at the screen with a smile for several seconds before answering. "That," he said, golden eyes locked on the glowing, transparent form clearly visible in the darkening room, "is evidence. Evidence which proves that these people are worthy of further investigation."

The young man's hand tightened its grip, nails digging into the ancient upholstery. "I've changed my mind. Send me after them."

The man sighed. "That impulsiveness is why you will never be taken seriously as a scientist. Patience, boy. You'll meet them soon enough."

Green eyes flashed with anger, but the young man's voice was steady when he spoke. "Will you put out a bounty for them?"

The man chuckled. "That _is_ the standard course of action when dealing with pirates, isn't it? No, Travis, I have something else in mind. For now, we'll let them continue as they are."

"The organization won't like that."

"They will benefit in the end. How happy they are en route does not concern me. Though if Greysaber insists on going after them, I won't object." His eyes rested on the slim figure in the straw hat. "It might give us just the proof we need."


	12. Ghosts 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Hi. I'm finally back. That was not a fun winter, but I'm writing again at last, and I'm going to try hard not to take so long with the next update. Hopefully some of you still remember me, haha. This isn't what you'd call an action-y chapter, but it's important, and there's lots of Zoro.
> 
> Enjoy, and thank you so much for your kudos and comments. I got some nice ones just as I was starting to feel I could write again, and I'm convinced they helped me get things done faster than I otherwise would have. So, thanks. c:

"Oi, Cook."

Leaning against Sunny's rail, Sanji blew a stream of smoke out over the water before glancing at Zoro. "What, Marimo? I'm trying to relax here."

"Let me see that book."

Sanji's gaze remained fixed on Zoro for a few seconds before sliding away to look out at the sea again. "Why should I?"

The silence stretched long enough that Sanji began to wonder whether the conversation had—not for the first time—been aborted on account of the sudden disappearance of the other party. But when he risked another quick glance, he saw that Zoro was still there. Zoro's fists were clenched, and he wasn't looking at Sanji. He appeared to be steeling himself for something unpleasant. Sanji looked back at the water and waited.

At last, there was a long sigh. "Because…you were right."

"Huh?" Sanji cupped a hand to his ear. "What was that?"

"Damn it, you heard me!" Another sigh, and Zoro moved to stand at the rail beside Sanji. They stood in silence for a minute before Zoro spoke again.

"I need to know. The things I can do, the things that could hurt me… If something had happened in that vault back there, I would have been stuck outside while you were fighting for your lives. If you hadn't read that book, I wouldn't even know why. And we've still got a long way to go. If we run into a situation in the future where I could do something to help, but I don't even know it's an option because it's not one of the abilities I've discovered on my own…"

He shook his head. "You were right: if we're attacked by someone that knows what I am, I have to know what to watch out for and what I can do about it. I won't let any of you get hurt because of my ignorance."

Zoro stared out at the water. "I've had more than three centuries to get used to being like this. I accepted it a long time ago. I knew I wasn't the same as I had been. But…I don't think I ever fully understood what that meant until recently. I never thought about weaknesses or any of that shit because as far as I was concerned, nothing really important had changed. I was still the same; still me."

He tapped his head. "In here, it's true enough, but my body—" Zoro broke off, sighing. "You can't really say my body is human anymore, huh?"

"I think you could find a great number of people who would claim you never _were_ human, Marimo."

"Shut up, Cook."

Sanji chuckled.

"I should have considered that completely different rules would apply to me now. I mean, some I couldn't help but learn—you have no idea how strange it was when I realized I wasn't going to be eating, drinking, or sleeping anymore—but it never occurred to me to find out what else there might be. I guess I just figured I'd work out anything I needed to know as I went." He snorted. "Damn stupid, looking back on it."

"You said it, not me."

Zoro scowled. "You _did_ say it, Shit-cook. That's why we're having this discussion."

Sanji tapped his cigarette against the rail. "Much as I'd love to keep a few aces up my sleeve when it comes to you, the safety of the crew is more important." He placed the cigarette back between his lips and took a deep drag. "But I can't give you the book."

Zoro stood for a few seconds in nonplussed silence. "Why the hell not? You just said—"

"You want it?" Sanji dug inside his suit jacket for a moment, then drew out the slim volume. "Catch." He tossed the book gently to Zoro, making sure to aim as far from the rail as possible.

Now looking thoroughly confused, Zoro reached out, snatching the book from the air easily. An instant later, he dropped it with a yell of pain.

"What the _fuck_ was that?"

Sanji calmly bent down to retrieve the book. "That was why I can't give it to you." He tapped the debossed cover. "There are anti-spirit runes on every inch of this thing. You can't touch it, Marimo."

Zoro stared, first at the book, then down at his hand, which was burning bright silver. "Damn it," he said at last.

"But you're right, you do need to know the stuff that's in here. Which leaves us only one option, unfortunately."

"Which is?"

Sanji drew in a breath, trying not to think of just how _wonderful_ the next few days were likely to be. "I'm going to have to teach your ethereal ass how to be a proper ghost."

 

* * *

 

"Okay, class, listen up." Sanji spun around, looking down the long table. Eight pairs of eyes looked back at him. The rest of the crew had decided to sit in on Zoro's "ghost lessons", as they had been dubbed, reasoning that they should all be aware of the dangers and advantages of Zoro's state. And in Luffy's case, because he might get to see Zoro do something cool.

"We're going to start off by telling you a little about the different kinds of ghosts, and what separates them from each other."

"There's more than one kind?" Chopper asked, wide-eyed.

"There are four," Robin said. She had asked to see the book shortly after he'd first told them about it, and when she had offered to assist him with the lessons, Sanji had been only too willing to accept.

Sanji nodded. "That's not counting stuff like nature spirits or those negative hollows created by a devil fruit. We're talking strictly spirits that used to be living humans."

"So what kind is Zoro?" Luffy asked around a mouthful of sandwich. They had had breakfast less than two hours before, but Luffy insisted that lessons meant they were in school, and therefore he needed a school lunch. It hadn't taken long for Sanji to give in. If nothing else, it might limit the number of interruptions.

"Marimo here is a Type One." Sanji nodded at Zoro. "But we'll get back to that in a minute."

Zoro frowned. "Shouldn't we be starting with that? I'm here to learn about things that affect me. It doesn't really matter what other kinds of spirits there are, or what they're like."

"You're here because we've decided we'd rather not send you off to the great beyond anytime soon. I'm having trouble recalling the exact reason _why_ right now, but as the person currently in charge of making sure that doesn't happen, I've decided some general knowledge would be helpful. If you don't like my teaching methods, you can go stand in the hall." Sanji pointed to the door.

Zoro sank back in his chair with a grumble. "You're enjoying this too damn much. Fine, let's hear it, 'Sensei'. Biology, history, hell, maybe we can do a course in spirit poetry next week."

Responding wasn't worth it, Sanji decided regretfully. Fun as their sparring could be—verbal or otherwise—it would only serve to delay things. Today, tomorrow, or next week, they would all eventually need to know this information, and while there was something to be said for Zoro having to listen to him and follow his instructions, the headache he'd get if things carried on like this wasn't a fair trade-off. Best to get these "lessons" over with quickly.

Sanji cleared his throat. " _As I was saying_ , there are four basic types of ghost. There's not much to tell about Type Fours—some people don't even consider them proper ghosts, because they're not self-aware. They're just echoes of the original that keep repeating the same actions over and over."

"The other three are more similar," Robin said. "For a person to remain in this world, they require a connection. The types differ mainly in what they use for a connection, and each has advantages and weaknesses that come with their chosen methods."

"Type Ones use their own memories." Sanji glanced at Zoro. "They're called unbound spirits, because they have the most freedom—they're not tied to a particular person or object, so they can go anywhere they damn well please. They're also the rarest, because it takes a while for a Type One to establish a full connection, and most people don't have what it takes to stick around that long, with only their own will backing them up."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't know better, I'd think that sounded almost like a compliment."

"The hell it is. It just proves that you're even more stubborn and hard-headed than I thought."

"Type Two ghosts are known as symbiotic or guardian spirits." Robin's gaze traveled down a page in the book. "They attach themselves to a living person—usually either someone they were close to in life, or someone that was nearby at the time of their death—often without intending to do so. They're normally in a dormant state at first, and it's possible for the host to live out their entire life without ever being aware of their passenger."

Usopp shivered. "You mean I could be walking around with a ghost stuck to me right now, and I wouldn't even know?"

"There's nothing there, Usopp," Zoro said.

"If there was, you might not see it," Sanji told him. "Until the host realizes the ghost is there and wakes it up, they can't be detected by anyone else. Even another spirit, supposedly."

"You're not helping," Usopp said.

"So how do you know?" Nami asked. "What, do you just hope that one day they'll pop up in front of you and say 'hi'?" She waved sarcastically.

"Some people never know, as I said." Robin smiled at Nami. "But if a Type Two is able to partially wake on their own, they'll usually try to communicate with their host, and in that case, there will be signs you can look for. Smells or sounds with no apparent source, unusual dreams, whispered voices, sudden emotions that don't fit your current mood, and so on.

"Type Twos can't be seen by most mortals during the day, even after they're awakened, but through their host they have a stronger connection to the physical world than the other types." Robin sent Zoro an amused look. "For example, they are able to smell things, assuming their host has not lost that ability themselves."

"Seriously?" Zoro looked a bit disgruntled.

"By drawing energy from their host, many of them can touch things, as you can. If their host has a devil fruit ability, they can make use of that as well. In exchange, they can't travel more than a short distance from their host, and when the host dies, the spirit goes with them."

"I'm glad you weren't that kind, Zoro," Luffy said. "'Cause then you wouldn't have been there when we came back."

Zoro smiled at him. "That wasn't an option."

"Type Threes are a lot like Type Twos," Sanji said, "except they're bound to a place or object rather than a person. They're called chained spirits, and they're the most likely to become the nasty ghosts you hear about in stories." He shrugged. "Imagine spending a few hundred years tied to a sword at the bottom of the ocean, or a ruined old castle that no one ever visited. Not really surprising that some of them are a bit unhinged."

"What happens if the thing they're attached to is destroyed?" Nami asked.

"The spirit goes with it, usually," Sanji said. "Though some of the old powerful ones can transfer themselves to a new object if they have enough warning."

"Or a person, Sanji-san?" Brook asked nervously.

Sanji shook his head. "Don't think so. The book's author was pretty adamant that whatever type a ghost becomes at the start, that's what they're stuck as."

"How do we know Zoro isn't a Type Three?" Franky asked. "He's been pretty close to Sunny and his swords the whole time. What if he's tied to one of them?"

"I'm not," Zoro said. "I'd know if I was."

"And if you want more proof, there are two reasons," Sanji said. "First, because Type Threes can't directly touch anything except the object they're bound to. And second, because after that dip in the ocean, a Type Three would either have been destroyed or been too weak to take form for at least a few weeks."

"Don't look so damn pleased with yourself," Sanji snapped at Zoro, who had a hint of a grin on his face. "You're not invincible."

Zoro's expression shifted, as if he was looking at something the rest of them couldn't see. "I know that."

"You've got limits, too, and the consequences of reaching them are worse for Type Ones than any of the others." Sanji set a small pot of jam on the table in front of him. "Let's try a visual aid. A Type Three is like this jam. There's not much in here; a few good swipes with a spoon would just about empty the jar. But if it's getting low—" He twisted the lid into place. "—it can be sealed up, and whatever's left will be protected by the jar.

"A Type Three can retreat to their object if badly injured, and stay there until they're fully recovered. The only way to get rid of one for sure is to destroy the object in question." Throwing the jar against the wall would be effective here, Sanji thought, but he wasn't about to waste food—or give himself a mess to clean up—just to make a point.

"Type Twos are more like this cup." Sanji placed Brook's nearly-empty teacup next to the jam jar. "They don't have much energy of their own, either. But then, they don't really need it." Sanji picked up the teapot. "If they're running low, they can get more energy by drawing on their host." He filled the cup and passed it back to Brook. "A living person generates energy much faster than a spirit, so unless the ghost is being suicidally reckless, they'll always have something to fall back on."

Finally, he picked up Luffy's giant mug. "And this is you, Marimo. Huge well of energy. You'd have plenty left even if someone took a few sips. But this mug doesn't come with a lid or a teapot. If you were hurt badly enough to drain your energy completely, that would be it for you."

"You mean he would die?" Usopp asked in a hushed voice.

"Or whatever you'd want to call it for a ghost."

"Exorcised, perhaps," Robin said.

"I didn't ask for a demonstration of my limits." Zoro was doing a good job of hiding it, but Sanji picked up the hint of unease in his posture. "I'm here to learn to avoid reaching them in the first place. So? What do I have to watch out for, besides salt, silver, and iron?"

At Sanji's nod, Robin held up a small stack of papers and began passing them out. "Please take care not to leave these lying around. We wouldn't want to give our enemies a ready-made guide for destroying Zoro."

Sanji cleared his throat. "First of all, for most of these, the purity of the substance is important. That's why salt takes longer to affect you in water, Marimo—and also why you can still use your swords, even though there's iron in them. You shouldn't cuddle the naked blades for hours, but just holding them in a fight isn't likely to be a problem."

"I don't _cuddle_ —"

Sanji raised his voice. "We made a list, because I don't expect most of you to be able to remember all this just because you heard it once." He beamed at Nami. "Of course my lovely Nami-swan is an exception!"

"Thank you, Sanji-kun, but I think I'm better off with one of these, too." She looked at the list. "There are a lot of herbs on here."

Robin nodded. "Yes, besides salt, silver, and iron, there are at least a dozen plants that can affect spirits. Rosemary and lavender are particularly effective."

"Not all of them are deadly," Sanji added, "though you still probably wouldn't like them much, Marimo. If you look at the list, you'll see there's one that can paralyze ghosts, another that can temporarily disrupt their connection to the physical world, and so on. Also, Armament Haki can touch you, so Haki-infused weapons will injure you. That isn't a specific weakness of ghosts, though, so just touching something infused with Haki won't hurt you the way touching something made of silver would."

Zoro pointed at the runes carved into the book's cover. "And those?"

"Those are effective because someone decided that these particular markings would affect ghosts in one way or another, and they got enough people to believe it that it actually started to work. Essentially, it's pitting the ghost's will against the will of the believers. Same thing with holy water, prayers, or other faith-based items.

"The older the symbol, the more force it has behind it. I could make one up today and it probably wouldn't bother you much, because it'd only have the will of one person supporting it. But some of these are hundreds or thousands of years old."

Chopper raised a hoof. "If he gets hurt by any of this stuff, can I do something? Is there a way to treat him?"

Robin answered him. "As we've seen, it's easier for Zoro to recover in an intangible state. The less connected he is to the physical world, the less these things will affect him. However, if he lost the connection entirely, he would disappear, so it's a delicate balance. As for an actual countermeasure—" She nodded at the giant mug. "The only way is to give him a 'refill'. Any sort of energy can help—electrical, for example—but there is a far more effective option."

Sanji shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, Robin-chan, maybe we shouldn't mention that."

"But I need to know!" Chopper insisted. "It's my responsibility to take care of all of you if you get hurt. That means Zoro, too."

Zoro was looking suspiciously from Sanji to Robin. "What is it?"

Robin smiled. "A transfer of life energy."

Luffy blinked. "Is that like the way he's been helping me?"

Sanji sighed. "Yeah, only the other way around. Ghosts are basically made of energy, so if they're injured, they can give themselves a boost by pulling a little from someone else." He tapped his cigarette against the table. "The problem is, some ghosts either can't or don't want to stop at a little, and if the donor doesn't know how to block it, they can get the life sucked right out of them."

Usopp edged away from Zoro, looking faintly green. "Don't tell me that!"

"Oi, Usopp, that's not going to happen." Zoro looked a bit shaken. Possibly, he was imagining taking from Luffy rather than giving; Luffy collapsing to the floor with Zoro unable to stop…

Sanji shook himself to clear the unpleasant image. He'd just have to make sure the rest of them learned how to block the drain. And maybe get Zoro to practice a little the next time they had a few dozen enemies to take down.

Nami stood up. "Why don't we take a break? I want to check on things outside, anyway."

"Of course, Nami-swan!" Sanji spun toward the kitchen. "And I'll prepare a fresh pot of coffee for your return!"

"More food, too!" Luffy called.

"You've had enough for now!" Sanji told him.

"But it's no fun having drinks without snacks," Luffy said.

"Who said you were getting a drink, shitty captain?"

Luffy turned wide eyes on Sanji. "But I'm thirsty!"

Sanji shook his head and turned back to the stove. Really, why did he even bother protesting?

* * *

"I'm still not sure I want to teach you any more tricks." Sanji folded his arms and looked at Zoro. "You're overpowered as it is." Not to mention that he had a pretty good idea of who Zoro would be testing those tricks on.

Zoro didn't back down. "We talked about this, Cook. We could be in a situation where I _do_ need them, and it would be too late to practice then. Besides, I have a right to know."

_Damn it, why did that have to make sense?_

"Come on, Sanji!" Luffy urged. "I want to see Zoro doing more spirit tricks!"

"I'm not a puppy, Luffy."

"If you were, you'd need obedience classes," Sanji said. "All right, fine. I'll tell you a little. But pay attention. I'm not going to hold your hand through this."

"I don't want you to!"

Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and took a deep breath. "There are powers common to all ghosts, like teleportation. There are some that only certain types can pull off. And then there are rare powers that only a few ghosts are able to use."

"Yeah?" Zoro sounded interested. "Like what?"

"Well, physical manifestation, for one. Type Threes can't do it at all, and a lot of Ones and Twos can't, either. You got lucky." He dropped into a seat across from Zoro. "But we're not here to discuss the shit you've already figured out." Sanji placed a spoon on the table in front of Zoro. "First lesson: telekinesis."

"That's moving stuff without touching it, right?" Luffy asked. "Awesome, Zoro!"

"Don't praise him when he hasn't done it yet," Sanji said.

"So?" Zoro prompted Sanji. "Your precious book say anything about how to do this?"

"Not much," Sanji admitted. "It's meant to teach humans about spirits and how to handle them, not serve as a textbook for ghosts that don't know how to use their own powers."

Zoro glared, and the temperature around Sanji dropped by several degrees. "I'd be happy to show you exactly how much I do know," he growled. "If you can't help me, why the hell am I listening to you?"

"I didn't say there was nothing!" Sanji snapped back. "Now quit trying to turn my galley into a fucking freezer, and maybe I'll tell you what it says."

"Tch." Zoro leaned back in his chair, and the air became noticeably warmer.

"That's better." Sanji dusted imaginary icicles from his jacket. "Okay. You've said before that you can see more stuff now, right? Auras and things like that—even without Observation Haki."

"Yeah."

"According to the book, everything in this world has some sort of energy like that, even if it's not a living thing. You're supposed to be able to grab on to that energy with your own and sort of…pull it around, I guess—and the object it belongs to comes with it."

He expected another sharp retort, perhaps something about how that wasn't enough information. To his slight surprise, however, Zoro was nodding as if it made perfect sense.

"All right," he said. "Sounds easy enough. Now shut up for a bit and let me try it."

* * *

An hour later, Sanji brought a fresh pot of coffee to the table and glanced over at the still-immobile spoon. "Having a little trouble, Marimo?"

"Shut up." Zoro was leaning over the table, eyes focused on the spoon.

"Maybe you should try something else and come back to this later, Zoro," Usopp suggested. "You might do better after a break."

"I can do it now," Zoro growled.

"You know, you're probably the most ass-backwards ghost in existence." Sanji leaned over to refill Robin's cup. "This is one of those universal abilities I was talking about before. It's supposed to be one of the first things a spirit learns to do—way easier than manifesting. I'm not sure if I should be impressed with you for skipping to the hard stuff, or calling you an idiot for having trouble with something so simple." He pretended to think for a second. "I'm going to go with idiot."

The next thing Sanji was aware of was a sudden impact just above his eye, followed by a clatter as something metal fell to the floor. Gingerly rubbing the tender spot, Sanji looked down at the spoon, then back up, meeting the gaze of a very smug ghost.

"Huh." Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Guess I just needed the right motivation."

 

* * *

 

Ghost lessons were put on hold for the next few days while Zoro worked on mastering telekinesis. At first, his control was limited to sudden, jerky movements, but Zoro threw himself into training with all the dedication Sanji remembered from the old days, and it wasn't long before he could manipulate objects almost as well as with his hands. Luffy was enthralled, and most of the crew frequently asked for demonstrations.

This would have been fine, if not for the fact that, as he had expected, Sanji was the most frequent target for Zoro's new talent. At least half the time he reached for something, the object would slide away, just out of his grasp. He learned to be very careful walking through doorways after one closed just as he stepped through, sending him sprawling to the floor. And one evening's worth of having the salt and pepper shakers hovering around his ears as he cooked was enough for him to ban Zoro from the kitchen on pain of salt bath.

None of it was truly harmful, but it was damn annoying, and by the end of the week, Sanji wasn't sure whether he wanted to teach Zoro something new to try to distract him or refuse to share another word of the book again. Practicality won out, however, and after extracting a promise that the antics would be toned down in future, Sanji once again found himself and his book seated across from Zoro, ready to share the next item of interest.

"This one's a classic, too." Sanji shook a fresh cigarette from his pack and raised it to his lips. "Electrical manipulation. Ghosts can mess up all kinds of shit when it comes to electricity and technology."

Franky was instantly on edge. "Mess up how, exactly?"

Sanji shrugged. "Depends on the ghost. Some can literally talk to machines, get 'em to do whatever they want. Some can control electricity like a devil fruit user and do a ton of damage. Some have no control at all, but things tend to blow up if they so much as look at it funny. Mostly it's smaller stuff, though—feedback, triggering an electronic switch, shorting out a computer system, that sort of thing."

Franky's eyes widened in horror at Sanji's words. He turned to Zoro. "No way, Bro. You're not trying anything like that near Sunny."

"Franky, I'm not going to blow up the ship!"

"Didn't you hear him? You don't know what could happen, and I'm not gonna take the risk." Franky folded his arms. "You can try it on the next island. Let them deal with any explosions."

"There won't be any—" Zoro broke off with a sigh. "All right, fine. I'll wait." He looked at Sanji. "But tell me what it says now."

Sanji thumbed through the book. "It's related to manifesting, apparently. You draw power from the physical world when you try to give yourself solidity, and something about that affects electrical stuff."

"I thought you said most ghosts couldn't do that," Nami said.

"They can all draw in energy," Sanji said. "Manifestation just takes a shitload of it. That's why the only ghosts that can do it are Type Ones, who have a ton of their own energy to add to what they draw in, and Type Twos, who have a living host to take from as well. Even then, they can't all pull in enough. But you only need a little energy to mess with technology."

Zoro scratched his head. "I think I've already done this. Kind of. Sunny's lights would flicker sometimes while I was practicing. I thought they were just showing their age—they'd been lit constantly for a long time by then."

"Well then, you shouldn't have much trouble picking it up." Sanji closed the book. "And I think we're done for now."

"What?" Zoro rose to his feet. "That was only two things! Isn't there more?"

"Sure," Sanji said. "But I never said I'd tell you everything. We've covered most of the big stuff, anyway. You already know how to control the temperature. You should be able to make it warmer, too, but you can figure that out yourself. The other rare powers mostly involve elemental manipulation, but there's nothing here on how to use them, and if you had one, you'd probably know by now, anyway."

"There _is_ one common ability you haven't mentioned, Sanji," Robin said.

Sanji coughed. "Why don't we forget about that one for now, Robin-chan?"

Robin smiled. "Really? I think it could be fun."

"I don't think he needs—"

"I'll decide what I need for myself." Zoro said impatiently. "What is it?"

"Possession," Robin said.

Zoro froze. "Did you just say—?"

"Possession." Robin leaned forward. "You enter a living person's body, and share it with them for a time."

"He can do that?" Franky asked. Brook and Usopp both looked rather pale.

"Yeah, he can," Sanji said. "But if you try it on any of us, Marimo, I swear—"

"I won't!"

Zoro stood abruptly. Sanji saw something flicker across his face, there and gone before he could identify it. Was it fear? Longing? _Well, I suppose the thought of having a physical body again, even temporarily, would be pretty overwhelming for him._

"That sounds cool, though," Luffy said. "Hey, Zoro, try it on me!"

Zoro's gaze snapped to Luffy. "No."

Luffy pouted. "Why not? I don't mind."

"Luffy, think about this!" Usopp pleaded. "I know it's Zoro, but it's still creepy! And what if something went wrong? What if he got stuck in there and couldn't leave?"

Luffy shook his head. "That wouldn't happen. Zoro's good at spirit stuff. But I'd be okay with it if it did."

"I wouldn't be." Zoro looked away. "The cook's right, for once. I don't need to practice this."

"But it might be useful," Luffy argued. "What if we visited an island made out of salt? You'd be safe if you were in someone's body."

Nami looked at Sanji. "Would he?"

Reluctantly, Sanji nodded. "Probably. A physical body should protect him from most of the stuff on that list."

Zoro hesitated. This time, the flicker looked a lot like temptation. "It's not a good idea." Zoro shook his head. "It would be safer to leave things alone."

"But Sanji just said you'd be safer if you knew how to do it."

"It's been too long, Luffy," Zoro said quietly. "I'm not sure I can trust myself to feel that much."

Sanji thought he understood what Zoro meant. Hell, it was in most ghost stories that involved possession. Being able to touch, taste, smell, breathe—interacting with the physical world the way you were originally meant to—it could be addicting, if you didn't have that anymore. And Zoro had been without it for centuries. He'd never try to claim Luffy's body for himself, the way some of those stories went, but would he be able to resist coming back, again and again? If he spent too much time possessing someone, how would that affect him? Or his host? What if one day he really couldn't leave?

Not to mention the shock of all that sensation returning at once. That might also be hard to deal with, at least at first.

Sanji could see by the expression on Luffy's face that he realized all this, too. But his captain's confidence never wavered. "I trust you, Zoro," Luffy said. "You'll be okay."

Zoro's eye flicked back to Luffy. The seconds ticked by as they looked at each other. Sanji had the impression that a silent conversation was taking place between them. And then Zoro shifted, inclining his head the barest degree. "All right."

Luffy's face split into a grin. "Good! Hey, Sanji, what do we do?"

Reluctantly, Sanji opened the book again. "This mostly talks about how to stop a ghost from doing it," he said. "There's supposed to be some sort of path in a person's aura that the ghost can follow, and you can learn to put up a 'gate' to block their entry. There's nothing here about how to help them find it, though, aside from mentioning that permission makes it easier."

"Okay." Luffy beamed at Zoro. "I give you permission! So you should be able to see it."

"I'm not sure it works like that, Luffy," Zoro muttered, but he stepped closer, slowly circling around Luffy while keeping his gaze focused.

Luffy was beginning to fidget when at last he came to a halt. "Here," Zoro murmured, one finger skimming the air at the back of Luffy's neck. "I think—Right here."

Luffy nodded. "Okay," he said. "Go ahead."

"Are you sure—"

"Yes! Just do it already."

Taking a deep breath, Zoro stretched a hand toward Luffy. His fingers twisted in the air, pulling at something they couldn't see. The details of his form became fuzzier, his body brightening from the point of contact. For just an instant, Zoro disappeared, and a faint glow could be seen in the air around Luffy.

And then there was a gasp and Zoro was stumbling back, his face clouded with confusion as he stared at Luffy.

"It didn't work?" Chopper looked disappointed.

"…No." Zoro straightened. "Are you okay, Luffy?"

"Yeah." Luffy blinked at him. "You couldn't go in?"

Zoro shook his head. "The path was there. But something stopped me. That's never—" He stopped abruptly.

"It wasn't me," Luffy said emphatically. "I told you it was okay; I wouldn't stop you."

"I know."

"Maybe part of you did want to stop him, though," Nami said. "Luffy, you're talking about giving up control of your body to another person. It's natural to be hesitant, even if you think you're all right with it."

"Then we'll try it again," Luffy said. "And this time I'll be really sure to be okay."

"Luffy—"

"Try again, Zoro. Please?"

So Zoro tried again. And again. Each time, he was rebuffed.

"That's enough," Zoro said after the third try, stepping away from Luffy. "Whatever's going on, this obviously isn't meant to be. Don't worry about it, Luffy."

"Why isn't it working?" Luffy looked upset. "I promise I really don't mind."

"I believe you," Zoro said. "And thanks, for giving me the chance. But let's drop it, okay? I don't think things would change even if we tried a dozen more times."

"Perhaps the problem is with you, Zoro," Robin suggested. "If you honestly don't want to possess Luffy, it's possible that could interfere with the process."

Zoro shrugged.

"Well, the only way to test that would be for him to try it with someone else," Sanji said, "and I don't think you'll find many volunteers."

"No. I'm done." Zoro looked over his shoulder at Sanji. "Thanks for the information. If there's anything else in there I should know, tell me later." And he disappeared from the room.

For a long moment, there was silence.

"Got a little jumpy at the end there, didn't he?" Franky said finally.

"He's not the only one," Nami said. "Sanji-kun, what does the book say about blocking it? I'm not even sure I'd be willing to let Zoro do that to me, and any other ghost would be completely out of the question." Usopp and Brook nodded in agreement.

The next few hours were spent studying defensive techniques. More than once, it occurred to Sanji that it would have been useful to have an actual ghost to practice with. But Zoro did not reappear until after dinner, when they had moved on to other topics.


	13. Pirateland

**Chapter 13 – Pirateland**

This time, they knew the fruit was one of theirs before they'd even seen it. At least, if the article in the newspaper was to be believed.

The paper had come shortly after breakfast. It had been a lazy sort of day until then. The weather was warm and sunny, and they hadn't seen any other ships for several days. Most of the crew was relaxing or playing on deck.

Nami looked up as a shadow fell over her, and smiled at the familiar form of the seagull. Even after all these years, a significant portion of the world's mail was still delivered by news coo. Just like most people still used den den mushi, even though they had the technology to communicate without the snails.

_Maybe the world hasn't changed so much, after all._

The bird dropped the paper in her lap, and she began to unroll it with one hand as she reached for the drink Sanji had brought her with the other. Taking a sip, she glanced down at the headline—and struggled to keep from showering the page with coffee.

Coughing, she set the cup back on the table, never taking her eyes from the article as she scanned it furiously.

"Are you all right, Nami-swan?" Sanji sounded concerned, but Nami didn't bother to look at him.

"Fine." Her fingers clenched the paper tightly. "Could—could you bring everyone over here, Sanji-kun? You all need to see this."

* * *

" _ **STRAW HAT" MUSEUM GAINS NEW TREASURE**_

_The cafe at Crinia's famed pirate museum has long held a reputation for excellent cuisine, but it will soon be sharing the spotlight with a very different sort of fare: a devil fruit._

_The museum is no stranger to devil fruit exhibits; however, few have been as high-profile as their new acquisition. Starting next week, visitors to the museum will have the chance to see a devil fruit that once belonged to a member of the Straw Hat Pirates._

" _This is a fantastic opportunity for us," said Macarius Arlor, the museum's director. "While we endeavor to focus on all aspects of the Great Age of Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy and his crew were obviously the ultimate stars of the era. As you know, very few genuine artifacts of the Straw Hats exist today. Their fruits are one of the strongest links we have, and as a result, are highly sought after. Naturally, we jumped at the chance to display a treasure like this."_

_Arlor kept the fruit's exact identity secret, however. "If you want to find out, you'll have to come and see it with everyone else once the exhibit opens," he said. "Even some of the staff don't know yet."_

_The fruit is on loan from the private collection of a museum benefactor, and will be on display for the next six months._

* * *

Luffy was the first to break the silence after Nami had finished reading. "There's a museum about us?"

"It's probably about as accurate as those books Anjia-chan had," Sanji said.

"Yeah, probably," Luffy agreed. "But it sounds like fun."

"And they have one of our fruits," Brook said. "How could we not go?"

Nami bit her lip. "Yes, of course...but something about this bothers me. It seems almost too easy."

"C'mon, Sis, don't be so worried!" Franky patted her shoulder. "It can't be a trap. No one even knows about us except those three back on Whitestone, and they're not gonna tell."

"They may be the only ones who know the truth," said Robin, "but Nami's right. The timing is very convenient."

"We should be on guard," Zoro agreed. "All the same, we can't just ignore this."

"Yeah," Luffy said. "Even if there is something going on, they have one of our fruits. We have to go."

Nami sighed. "I know. Look, we've got a week until the exhibit opens, right? We'll set course for the island, and on the way, we'll come up with a plan." She looked at her captain, who was already fidgeting impatiently. "Or at least try to."

 

* * *

 

"It's hot." Luffy flopped onto the deck in the small patch of shade provided by the swing tree. The grass there felt marginally cooler than the rest of the lawn, but that was like saying boiling water was cooler than lava.

"Luffy, try to pay attention." Nami took a long sip of her iced drink. "We're going to be there in two days, and we still haven't really discussed anything. This is important!"

"It's too hot to think," Luffy whined. "We can just figure it out when we get there."

"No we can't!" Nami tossed a piece of ice at him. "We need to at least _try_ to come up with some sort of plan."

"Can we come up with a plan to make it cooler, first?" Chopped moaned. He had collapsed in the shade as well, looking utterly miserable in his fur coat.

Franky rubbed his chin. "I can probably put something together. Just gotta figure out the best way to make it work outdoors. Maybe some kind of giant fan…"

"Make it cooler…" Luffy muttered. Suddenly he shot into a sitting position, a grin brightening his face. "Hey, Zoro! You do it!"

Zoro looked at him, his translucent form nearly invisible in the bright sunlight. "Do what?"

"Make it cooler!" Luffy waved his arms in the air.

"Oh yeah, that's right." Usopp wiped his sweaty forehead. "Ghosts can change the air temperature, can't they?"

Luffy beamed at Zoro. "Like when you gave Sanji icicles. C'mon, Zoro! Make it not be so hot."

"Damn it, Luffy, I'm not an air conditioner!"

"Please?"

Zoro twitched under the full effect of Luffy's best puppy eyes, then glanced around at the rest of the crew, most of whom were giving similar pleading looks. "Tch, fine," he growled, slapping a hand to his face. "Tell me when it's cool enough."

Zoro closed his eyes in concentration, and a moment later, Luffy could feel the sweltering heat easing away. Deliciously cool air wafted across his face, and he shivered at the sudden change.

"All right, that's enough!" Sanji stood a healthy distance from Zoro, and seemed to be trying to suppress a shiver of his own. "We're not trying for a winter island here."

Zoro regarded Sanji contemplatively, then smirked. "Sorry, I forgot you don't like my cold. Didn't mean to be rude." He flicked a finger.

Sanji gasped at the return of the heat. "Damn it, Marimo, that's not what I meant!" He stepped closer, visibly relaxing as he re-entered the bubble of cooler air.

Zoro grinned at him. "You told me to stop. Not my fault you weren't clear enough."

"You know damn well what I—"

"That's enough, boys," Nami cut in. "Thank you, Zoro, that's much more comfortable now."

"Thanks, Zoro," Chopper echoed. "I forgot how hard it was to be in this kind of heat with fur."

"Don't mention it," Zoro said gruffly.

Something suddenly occurred to Luffy. "Hey, Zoro. Can you make it snow?" He couldn't believe he'd never thought to ask.

"Never tried." Zoro gestured to the cloudless sky. "I think there'd have to be rain first, though."

"…I guess so." He pointed at Zoro. "Then next time we're somewhere rainy, you have to try!"

"Heh." Zoro tossed him a salute. "Aye, Captain."

"Now that we've cooled down, perhaps we should return our attention to this museum," Robin suggested.

"I suppose it would be a bad idea to simply walk in as we are," Brook said. "Even if this is not a trap, most of us would surely be recognized, which would draw attention."

Well, there was an obvious solution to that, in Luffy's opinion. "Disguises!" He waved a hand eagerly. "We can just wear disguises, like we did on Dressrosa."

"I think we'll have to," Nami agreed. "And that means the ship, too, Luffy. We can't go sailing up to the harbor with our flag on full display."

"Can't we just say we're fans again?"

"We could," she said, "and we will, if we're discovered. But we're trying _not_ to be noticed. Everything we can do to blend in will help."

Luffy considered that. "All right. I guess Sunny can wear a disguise, too." He looked up at her. "But just for this island."

"We'll put her back to normal as soon as we leave," Franky promised.

They talked a little longer, discussing details of disguise possibilities and other precautions they could take, but Luffy had never had much patience for planning. He could tell Zoro was getting tired of maintaining the cold spot as well, so with the efficiency of the easily bored, Luffy broke up the meeting. There were other ways of keeping cool, after all. Like practicing swimming, or seeing if Sanji could make better ice cream than Usopp's favorite shop back in the other world.

As it turned out, he could.

 

* * *

 

They had wondered, at first, why this museum—supposedly dedicated to them and their era—was located on an island they'd never been to. Surely some place significant to the pirate king would be a more logical choice? Dawn Island, perhaps. Alabasta, Sabaody—even Marineford would have made some sense. As the island of Crinia came into view, however, they began to suspect the reasons had more to do with appealing to tourists than historical significance.

The island seemed to have taken several pages out of a how-to book on tropical paradises. The intense heat had broken the day before, giving way to balmy weather that had most of the crew out on deck every moment they could spare. A warm breeze ushered blue-green water toward beaches of soft white sand. Palm trees lined the shore, and they could see lush forests further inland. Ahead of them was the port city, sunlight gleaming off its pale buildings. In the distance, they could hear the sound of splashing water, just audible over the gentle rush of waves.

Nami looked at the island. "Wow. It'd be nice to spend a week or two here." She sighed. "Shame it's probably a trap."

"No problem." Franky grinned. "All we have to do is take care of whatever's waiting for us. Then we can stay as long as we want."

"I don't think it'll be that simple," Nami said.

"Once our business is finished, we'll likely be wanted for theft by the island's authorities," Robin said. "And that's assuming things go well."

"We should go have some fun first, then!" Luffy dropped from the rigging to land lightly on the deck. "I saw a theme park over that way." He pointed toward the south side of the town.

Nami hesitated. "We should probably check out the museum as soon as possible..." Her eyes strayed toward the creamy expanse of beach.

" _Please_ , Nami?" He could, of course, simply take off without waiting for approval. He was the captain, after all. But it would be a lot easier to explore the island if nobody was trying to drag him back.

"Ah, let him have a few hours," Franky said. "I'll keep an eye on him. You can stay here and relax for a bit."

"Well..."

"Actually, it may be a good idea to see some of the rest of the island before entering the museum," Robin said. "The more we know about our surroundings, the better prepared we'll be in case of trouble."

"Oh, all right," Nami said. "But be careful." She turned to Luffy. "And don't play around too long. We should at least get a look at the place today. Come back and get me in a few hours."

"Yeah, I know." Luffy turned to the others with a grin. "Let's go!" A strand of blond hair flopped in front of his eye, and he pushed it away impatiently. He had wanted to wear an afro wig, but Nami had argued that a less eye-catching hairstyle—preferably in a color other than black—would help him blend in better, and while few of the history books they had seen had even mentioned the Davy Back fight, it wasn't impossible that someone at this museum would have heard about Afro Luffy.

So, blond it was. The style was similar to his own hair, but the wig was just long enough for the locks to get in the way whenever they fell forward. Which was often. _I should have had Usopp cut it for me._ It didn't bother him that much, though; it was all part of the fun of disguise, as were the sky-blue cardigan and black shorts he wore.

The others were suitably altered as well. Sunglasses had been a popular accessory: everyone besides Brook and Zoro had a pair. Sanji still wore a suit, but this one was white, with a matching fedora. His hair had been swept back to show both eyes, and some carefully-applied makeup hid his distinctive eyebrows. Makeup covered Chopper's blue nose, as well, and his distinctive hat had been swapped out for a flowery cap. Usopp wore shorts and a colorful shirt that Luffy suspected had come from Franky. His curly hair had been pulled into a braid, but there wasn't much to be done about his most distinctive feature; they would just have to hope no one paid too much attention to the nose.

Robin and Nami were relying mainly on a change of hairstyle. Robin's had been twisted into a neat bun, while Nami had tucked most of hers beneath a large sunhat. Franky's hair was flattened under a baseball cap, and he wore both a long-sleeved shirt and full-length pants. Usopp had said the pants alone would be enough of a disguise, but Nami had thought it best to be thorough. Brook had been outfitted as a cowboy. His impressive afro had resisted all attempts to alter it; they were counting on the large hat and his lack of glasses—not to mention the addition of flesh—to keep anyone from making the connection. Zoro, of course, wore his usual concealing clothes.

Sunny's disguise consisted of a plain white sail and a hastily-constructed helmet that turned the lion figurehead into a dragon. Luffy thought Sunny was enjoying the game of disguise, but he couldn't wait to put things back to normal. That empty sail didn't look right.

Sanji decided to stay behind as well, so that Nami could relax on the beach with no worries. Everyone else followed Luffy as he led the way into the city. It was a clean place—not in the overly-sanitized way Whitestone had been, but fresh and sparkling. Colorful flowers spilled from windowsills, and there always seemed to be at least one fountain in view, wherever they went. Some were small, barely more than a birdbath, but some were much larger. The Straw Hats entered a square holding a fountain so big, it seemed more like a pool—an impression reinforced by the dozen or so children splashing through the wide basin.

Luffy would have joined them, but Nami's words still rang in his ears and he contented himself with running a hand under one of the arcing streams of water as he passed. There was so much more to see.

Further in, the city was still clean, but the buildings had begun to take on a definite air of tourism. Figureheads copied from famous ships topped some of the houses. They passed a long building flying no less than twelve different pirate flags, with the old white and blue flag of the Marines fluttering incongruously in the center. Street carts and shops sold pirate-themed food and merchandise, many of the employees in colorful costumes.

"This is surreal," Usopp muttered.

"It's starting to feel like the whole damn island is a theme park." Zoro waved away an eager-faced man holding out a tray of green-dyed rice balls.

Luffy took two. "It's funny, though."

"Yeah." Franky grinned at the food. "Where else are you going to find Zonigiri?"

Zoro snorted. "Not exactly how I would have imagined my name being remembered."

They did eventually make it to the actual park. It sprawled across the southern shore of the island, bearing the somewhat unimaginative name of "Pirateland". Once inside, however, "unimaginative" was no longer the word they would have used to describe the place. Embarrassing, maybe. Strange, definitely. Also bright. And loud. And—

"This is awesome!" Laughing, Luffy exited the roller coaster. It had been an interactive ride with all sorts of special effects; the kind of thing he'd heard about back in the other world, but had never gotten to try for himself. Whoever designed the ride hadn't gotten the story of the Straw Hats' sky island adventure quite right, but the changes just made it more fun to Luffy. Stories you already knew could get boring, after all—even if you were zooming through the air on a roller coaster while you watched them.

"Oh dear." Brook held a shaking hand to his forehead. "I think I should have stayed with Zoro-san and Chopper-san. It feels like I left my stomach up there—and I would prefer to keep it, now that I have one again."

"C'mon, it wasn't that bad." Franky patted him on the shoulder. "I've been on worse, trust me."

"Still, perhaps we should find something a little less exciting for our next activity," Robin said.

"Can we get more cotton candy?" Chopper asked.

Usopp grinned at him. "Don't you mean CotTony Candy?"

Chopper blushed, fiddling with the empty antler-shaped paper stick he held.

"Yeah, let's get more food!" Luffy pointed to a row of food carts they hadn't visited yet.

"Maybe they'll have 'Frankyfurters'," Usopp suggested, still grinning.

"This is ridiculous." Zoro stood from the bench where he and Chopper had been waiting, an orange hat clutched in his hand. "I know we're famous and all, but from the other islands we've been to, I didn't think there would be this much of it."

"People will jump on anything that'll make money," Franky said. "And you have to admit, there were a lot of exciting things happening back then they could use for ideas."

"I don't think it's just the money," Robin said. "I'm sure that's a large part of it, of course, but most people here seem to genuinely enjoy the stories. It was a romantic time."

"I think it's fun to see what they've come up with." Luffy reached over to Zoro, pulling the hat free and plopping it onto his head. Nami had insisted the straw hat stay behind on Sunny, and while he could see the point—it was one of the items most closely associated with Monkey D. Luffy, after all—his head had still felt rather bare without it. A wig just wasn't a good substitute. So when they had seen the hat vendor just inside the park, Luffy had wasted no time in finding a temporary fill-in.

He had steered clear of the straw hats. He didn't want a replacement—and anyway, a new, mass-produced hat would be only slightly less of an identification risk than the real one, if they were suspected. Instead, he had chosen a replica of Ace's wide-brimmed orange hat. It was well-made, despite being just a copy among dozens of copies, and it sat comfortably on his head. _I'll have to tell Ace about it, the next time I see him. Wonder if he'll laugh._

* * *

The food carts did, in fact, have Frankyfurters. And more Zonigiri. They also had plenty of other food, including Cybuns (in both blue and red colors, with a sweet, spicy filling reminiscent of cola), pirate bento (with a choice of meat or sushi), roasted Shichibukorn, Lawlipops, mikan ice cream—and of course, CotTony Candy. There were drinks, too, though most were non-alcoholic; the most popular seemed to be Yonkola.

As his friends ate, Zoro let his gaze wander over the park. Balloons and toys and colorful signs clamored for attention everywhere he could see, every one of them a reference to a friend or rival or enemy he'd known, all those years ago. Usopp was right, he thought. It was surreal. They had been well known in their time—they had even had fans—but this was something else. Seeing Chopper's head on a balloon, or the action figures of the Supernovas they had found earlier...there were kids running around wearing Luffy's hat or a Marine jacket—

A sudden tug on his coat made him glance down. A little boy with dark skin and curly black hair, perhaps nine or ten years old, was staring up at him in awe. No, wait—not at him. The big brown eyes were fixed on his swords. A moment later, Zoro noticed the boy had three swords of his own, wooden and painted to match the ones hanging at Zoro's waist.

The boy's eyes flicked up to stare at Zoro's masked face, and there was an audible gulp before a small voice piped up bravely. "Zoro's my favorite, too."

Zoro grinned behind his mask as he knelt down to speak to the boy. "That so?"

The boy nodded solemnly. "He was the coolest." He scuffed a shoe in the dirt. "Most of my friends want to be like Luffy. My sister likes Sanji, and my brother thinks pirates are stupid and the Marines should've beaten them all. But I think Zoro's the best."

Zoro chuckled. "Well, I'm sure he'd be happy to know he had a loyal fan like you." He pointed at the boy's swords. "Mind if I take a look at those?"

The boy hesitated, then pulled the swords from his belt. "My dad made them," he said as he held them out to Zoro. "Don't mess them up."

"I'll be careful," Zoro promised. He examined the swords. They were beautifully carved, the details almost enough to make you believe they were real. The wooden blades slid smoothly from their scabbards with a gentle tug. Not sharp, of course, and sized to fit a child, but good enough to make this boy the envy of every kid on the island.

"Impressive." Zoro sheathed the swords and handed them back to the boy. "Your dad's pretty good at this, huh?"

The boy's face broke into a grin. "Yeah! He makes all kinds of wooden statues and tools and things. But he's not gonna make any more of Zoro's swords. At least until I get bigger. He promised."

"So you've got an exclusive there. Pretty cool."

The boy beamed wider, then paused, a hesitant expression crossing his face. "Can...can I hold yours?"

Zoro considered a moment. "These are real, you know. They're sharp, and they don't always play well with others."

"Then just let me see one?" the boy pleaded. "I showed you all of mine."

Zoro laughed lightly. "So you did." He pulled Wadō from his sash and held it in front of him. "I think this one will behave for us."

The boy nodded and reached for the sword. Zoro pulled it back slightly. "I've had this for a long time," he said. "And before that, it belonged to someone who was very important to me."

The boy looked back to Zoro. He stared intently, as though he could see the face behind the dark mask. "So it's precious, right? Like mine are to me."

"Yeah."

"I promise I'll be careful."

Zoro nodded, and extended the katana.

The boy's hands closed on it, but he made no attempt to pull it from Zoro's grasp. His fingers ran along the white sheath and stroked the elegant hilt. "It's awesome," he said quietly.

Zoro pulled the blade free, just a few inches. Wide eyes were reflected in shining steel as the boy carefully touched the sword. "I bet the real one looked just like this," the boy said.

"Probably pretty close, yeah." Zoro sheathed the katana and stood, returning Wadō to his sash.

"I'm going to have real ones like those someday," the boy said.

"Yeah? You gonna know how to use them?"

The boy nodded. "I've already learned a lot. They don't teach us how to use three swords at my school, though."

"You should use whatever style works for you," Zoro told him. "If it turns out you're best with three, you can always figure things out for yourself."

"You really think that'll work?"

Zoro ruffled the boy's hair. "I hear that's how Zoro did it."

"Atsu!"

A woman was hurrying toward them, wearing a harried expression. A little girl, about the same age as Zoro's fan, followed close behind.

"Um, I gotta go," the boy said. He grinned at Zoro. "Thanks for letting me see your sword!"

"Sure. Us Zoro fans have to stick together."

The boy scampered off, and Zoro turned back to the food carts. There was no sign of Luffy or the others anywhere. "Damn it." Zoro strode off down the path. "They must have gotten lost again."

* * *

He did eventually find them, at an attraction called "Sogeking's Sniping Challenge". Usopp was effortlessly picking off targets, while Luffy and Chopper were eyeing up the rows of prizes. The others stood nearby, watching the booth operator's jaw drop a little more with every successful hit.

"It's about damn time." Zoro stalked up to them. "This is no place for you to go wandering off!"

"You know how fast Luffy can move when he wants to," Franky said. "Besides, it's a theme park. You're supposed to wander."

"Well, perhaps not _Zoro-san_ specifically…"

"You know what I mean."

"Anyway, we've been here long enough," Zoro said. He was starting to feel the strain of remaining solid for so long, and they still had to go to the museum later. "We should—"

"Yes!" Usopp shouted.

A loud cheer erupted from Luffy and Chopper as the last bobbing target fell with a crash. Usopp bowed. Resigned, the operator waved a hand at the prizes. Loaded with an impressive array of plush dolls, figures, candy, and replica gadgets, the three walked away from the booth to rejoin their friends.

"Oh, Zoro, there you are!" Luffy beamed at him from around a stuffed mermaid. "Did you see that guy's face when Usopp won? I bet no one else ever hit all the targets in one game before."

"Of course I won!" Usopp puffed out his chest as far as he could without dropping anything. "I am the mighty Usopp, warrior of the sea and the greatest of all snipers! No one alive could ever hope to match my—"

"Congratulations," Zoro cut him off. "Now let's go."

Luffy looked reluctantly toward the rest of the park. "But we haven't seen everything yet."

"You'd need days to see everything here, never mind anything else on the island. It's time to leave."

"You did promise Nami-san we wouldn't take too long," Brook said.

"Oh...right." Luffy chewed his lip. "Okay. I guess we can go."

A theme park is not a good place to be if you want to move quickly without getting distracted. By the time they finally reached the exit, Zoro was seriously considering finding a quiet corner where he could return to intangibility and let the others carry his things back to the ship. Unfortunately, quiet corners were in short supply in this city, especially on anything resembling a direct route to the harbor. Once again, Zoro found himself reluctantly grateful to Nami for making him wear the clothes so often. He knew he wouldn't have have lasted this long without that "training".

He was especially grateful when they rounded a corner and were met by a large white building bearing the words _Historical Museum of the Great Age of Pirates_.

As soon as he saw it, Luffy's eyes lit up. He spun to the others, any leftover reluctance at leaving the park gone in a flash. "That's it, look! Let's go see!"

Zoro sighed. "Luffy—"

"Come on! We can be really quick, 'cause we're coming back with Nami anyway. But we're right here! We can't just walk away now." Luffy thrust his prizes into Franky's arms and turned to look at Zoro with a fierce intensity, as though trying to burn through the mask with the power of his gaze. "One of our fruits is in there."

"Ah, damn it." Zoro rubbed his head. "All right. But I'm going to hold you to the 'quick' part."

At least they wouldn't have to wait long to get in—they seemed to have arrived right between the morning and afternoon crowds, and the lines were short and fast-moving. A young man with blond hair, wearing a replica Marine uniform, stood behind a booth at the entrance.

"Seven, please," Robin told him when they reached the booth. "Day passes."

The young man's gaze ran over the disguised Straw Hats, pausing when he came to Luffy. In his blond wig, Luffy could have been mistaken for the employee's younger brother, if one didn't look too closely. They were of a similar build and height, with the employee perhaps an inch taller, at most.

Green eyes flicked up to rest on Zoro for a moment before returning to Robin. "The museum requires faces to be visible at all times. Your friend there will have to remove his mask if he wishes to come inside."

"But he's not a bad guy," Luffy protested. "Please? We really want to see this place."

"Then remove his mask or leave him behind." The employee's voice was cold as he looked at Luffy. "Until then, I can't help you."

Luffy seemed ready to argue some more, but Robin held out a hand. "I understand. We'll be back later, then."

"They should have nicer employees," Chopper said, once they were out of earshot. "That guy wasn't friendly at all."

"Maybe he's tired," Brook suggested. "I'm sure they've been very busy all morning."

"Anyway, what do we do now?" Franky asked. "Go get Nami and leave Zoro at the ship?"

"I'm not staying behind," Zoro said. "If there _is_ something going on, it's going to happen in that museum. I'll just have to stay invisible."

"We don't seem to have any other options," Brook agreed.

Usopp's quiet chuckle brought them all to a halt. He wore a smug grin, his expression shouting to the world that he had a Plan. "Oh yes, we do," he told Brook.

"Really?" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "What are we gonna do?"

Usopp laid a finger on his nose. "Oh, just a little something I came up with a while ago." He caught Robin's eye. "Er—with some help from Robin and Nami, of course." He resumed walking and motioned for them to hurry up. "C'mon, let's get back to the ship. It's time for Plan M."


	14. Work and Play

"I told you to come get me _before_ you went to the museum!"

"We were just going to take a quick look," Luffy said. "We weren't going to do anything without you."

"You can say that, but if you'd gotten in, and the fruit was there—"

"Don't worry about it," Usopp said. "At least now we know that we have to do something different for Zoro."

"Like what?" Zoro asked. "You still haven't told me what this plan of yours is."

Usopp held up a finger. "Patience! You gotta have a break first, because you'll have to stay solid the whole time once we get started. No running off to the bathroom for a few minutes in the middle of things."

* * *

Usopp lasted almost two hours before finally caving to the pressure of Zoro's suspicious glares.

"All right!" He waved his arms, catching everyone's attention. "It's time to put Plan M into action!"

"Why is it called Plan M?" Chopper asked.

Zoro frowned. "And what happened to plans C through L?"

Nami's mouth twitched in a way Zoro didn't like. "Oh, we're going to use that, are we?"

"This does seem to be the perfect opportunity to test it," Robin said.

"Of course!" Usopp said. "This situation is tailor-made for my awesome skills."

No, Zoro definitely didn't like the way those three were looking at him. "Test what? Damn it, I'm not your guinea pig!"

"No." Nami smirked. "You're his canvas."

"His _what_?"

Usopp grinned smugly. "I'm going to paint your face to look like solid skin."

Zoro blinked. "...Huh. Are you serious?"

"Of course." Usopp puffed out his chest. "Leave it to me! Plan Makeup is foolproof! That guy at the museum will never notice the difference."

"Upstairs," Nami directed. "Robin and I have everything we need in our quarters."

Usopp reached for Zoro's back, but his hand slid through translucent flesh. He shivered and directed a pointed look in Zoro's direction. Zoro dropped into solidity and allowed Usopp to push him toward the bathroom.

"How long have you three been planning this?" Zoro asked.

"Oh, for a while," Nami said. "I think it first came up when Usopp mentioned how nice it would be if the old can-of-paint-on-the-invisible-person trick would work on you."

Zoro stopped. Usopp was spared a collision, instead walking right through him as Zoro became intangible once more.

"Don't do that!" Usopp rubbed his arms. "It's creepy!"

"I don't like it either," Zoro muttered. He looked at Nami. "I think they might notice if I walk in there covered in paint."

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously we're not going to just dump paint on you. Between the three of us, it shouldn't take long to do a realistic-looking makeup job." She grinned at him. "Maybe we'll even have time to add a touch of glitter."

"I thought the point was to _not_ stand out."

"Exactly," Robin said. "If any of your glow makes it through the makeup, people will dismiss it as sparkles from the glitter."

He supposed that made sense. "Just don't go overboard," he said. "I need to look like a human, not a disco ball."

"I don't know about that," Nami said. "We could use you to distract everyone while we grab the fruit." She attempted to catch Zoro's wrist, and huffed impatiently as her hand passed through him. "Anyway, we're wasting time. Luffy!" She pointed to Zoro. "Tell him he has to stay solid for us."

Luffy grinned. "All right! Okay, Zoro? Captain's orders! You have to let 'em touch you. It's okay, I'm sure they'll do it right."

"Oi, Luffy, don't make it sound like—"

"No need to worry, Zoro." Robin smiled at him. "This isn't our first time."

"That makes it sound worse!" Usopp yelled. "Look, Zoro, trust us, okay? I promise we'll make you look like yourself. Well, not _too_ much like yourself, I guess, or they'll recognize you, but—"

"Fine." Zoro rubbed his forehead. "Let's get this over with. But I swear, if you start doing me up in rainbow stripes or something—"

Usopp held up his hands. "I wouldn't dream of it!"

Zoro held his gaze a moment longer in warning, then nodded and disappeared from the deck.

* * *

The disguise was finished remarkably quickly, with only one minor setback when Luffy tried to convince Usopp to make Zoro look like a clown. Zoro was grateful Sanji had remained outside.

Usopp pronounced the job done, and Zoro turned to look at himself in the mirror. They had given him a black wig rather than try to paint over his hair, the locks straight and a little longer than he was used to. Most of his body was still transparent, waiting to be covered by the clothes. His face, though...

Zoro lifted a hand to his cheek. His skin looked...warm. Solid. He leaned closer to the mirror. Even knowing it wasn't real, he could hardly believe it was just makeup. Unless he looked at his eye. The small spot of translucency in the middle of his solid-looking skin stood out like a full moon in the night sky. Zoro reached for the sunglasses Nami had placed on top of his clothes, sliding them on and completing the disguise.

"Perfect!" Usopp clapped him on the shoulder. "You're lucky you had someone as talented as me here. Just don't open your mouth too wide, and they won't notice a thing."

 

* * *

 

Zoro felt the blond employee studied him for longer than was strictly necessary, but the disguise must have passed, because all he said, as he handed Robin the tickets, was: "Enjoy the museum."

There had been some discussion over who would stay with the ship. Naturally, they all wanted to see the museum, but leaving Sunny unguarded wasn't a good idea, especially on an island where there was even a small chance someone might be looking for them. They had drawn straws for it in the end. Brook had accepted his fate with good grace, but Chopper had nearly cried when he got the other. They had promised him that if the museum wasn't a horrible trap, he would get to see it the next day. They also promised to bring him a dessert from the cafe.

If their experience at the theme park was any indication, they could easily have spent the rest of the day at the museum. With Zoro's time limit in mind, they intended to find the fruit as quickly as possible, but the moment they stepped inside, Zoro knew it would take some time just to get past the atrium. It was a beautiful room—spacious, with elegant stone columns soaring up to support a domed glass roof high above. The walls contained a series of seascape reliefs, with carved ships—both familiar and unknown—lit up by sunlight as they rode the stone waves. Lush greenery filled the room, along with the expected fountains. Double curving staircases led up to the next floor, with an array of pirate and World Government flags hanging above them.

But none of that would have kept them there for long, even if it would have been fun to see how many of the ships they could recognize. The reason for the delay—the reason Luffy was standing slack-jawed just inside the entrance—was located in the very center of the room.

"That's...that's..." Luffy's face seemed to be nothing but eyes—eyes and the mouth that opened and closed as he tried to speak.

"Oh my god," Nami said in a strangled whisper.

"That's bronze, isn't it." Usopp said. It wasn't a question.

The Straw Hats stood there, staring at the statue of their captain, as tourists flowed around them with happy chatter.

It was a good likeness. Proud and heroic and maybe missing a little of the carefree cheerfulness they knew so well, but still unmistakably Luffy. The sculptor had put him in an elaborate captain's coat, though it was open in the front and a pair of shorts and the edge of a cardigan could be seen underneath. The statue wore sandals as well, and the iconic straw hat rested firmly on its head, gleaming softly in the bright sun.

Zoro laughed, breaking their small pocket of silence, and whatever spell had been holding them in place ended with it. Luffy ran forward, laughing too, his eyes shining with excitement as he pointed at his giant bronze doppelganger.

"Look! It's so big!" Luffy scrambled onto the statue's pedestal. Even stretching his arms as far as they would go, he barely reached the giant bronze knee. "They made me look awesome!" He slapped a hand to the statue's leg as his crew approached. "I want it! Let's take this with us, too."

"Luffy…" Nami stifled a giggle as she looked up at him. "It'd never fit on the ship, even if we could get it out of here."

Luffy pouted a little. "But—"

"Why don't you let these people look after it for you?" Robin suggested. "It's been safe here for a long time. We can always return for it later, after we accomplish our goals."

"And get a bigger ship," Usopp said under his breath.

"Yeah," Sanji said. "Besides, I bet a lot of kids come to see it. They'd be disappointed if they came all this way and it was gone."

Luffy rubbed his chin. "…Okay. I guess it can stay here. For now."

"Excuse me!" A woman in glasses came hurrying over. She wore a name tag and a replica marine uniform; obviously part of the museum's staff. "Young man, that statue is not one of the interactive exhibits. Please get down."

Luffy scowled at her. "I don't want to."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Young man, we really can't have you climbing around up there. If you cannot follow our rules, you and your friends will have to leave the museum."

"I'm so sorry!" Nami hastened to intervene. "He's just very excited. We've been looking forward to visiting this museum for such a long time." She looked up at the statue. "Lu—" She broke off abruptly, eyes flicking back to the employee for a fraction of a second. "Uh, _look_ , I know the statue is exciting, but don't you want to check out all the other great stuff they've got here? You wouldn't want to leave without seeing that _new exhibit_ they just opened, right?"

Luffy bit his lip. "Oh. Right." Giving the bronze leg a final pat, he hopped off the pedestal. "Okay! Let's go see the rest!"

As soon as they moved away from the statue, the woman pulled out a cloth and began wiping at the areas Luffy had touched. Zoro gave a mental eyeroll as he followed Luffy up the stairs

"We should have thought about names," Nami muttered as soon as they were through the doors. "How could I forget something so important? Even if Luffy didn't remember them all, we should still have come up with fake names. We can't go around calling out 'Luffy' or 'Zoro' in a place like this."

"Why not?" Franky asked. "We're famous, right? There are bound to be a few people around whose parents named them after one of us."

"That might work for one or two of us," Nami conceded. "But seven? And it would still draw attention—which we don't want, in case you've forgotten."

"Then let's try to think of some while we explore the museum," Robin said.

* * *

It was a good suggestion, but there were far too many things to look at to spend much time brainstorming names. The interactive exhibits were the most fun. There was a life-sized pirate ship that visitors could explore and see how things had been "in the old days". Given that sailing hadn't really changed that much in the past 400 years, it seemed an odd choice of exhibit, but the dozen or so kids climbing over every inch of it didn't seem to mind.

There was a place where you could sample a jelly-like substance that was supposed to mimic the taste of a devil fruit (Luffy and Robin both agreed that it wasn't even close to the same level of disgusting).

They had a range of simulators, each claiming to let you try a different devil fruit power. Luffy thoroughly enjoyed them all, though after experiencing their idea of the Gomu-Gomu no Mi, he had some doubts about how realistic the others were.

The second floor held a small row of theaters. The first was showing a documentary. The information covered was basic and mostly accurate; consequently, it didn't take long for Luffy to get bored and wander off. The next one they tried was about Shanks and Buggy, and was clearly fiction. It painted a touching story of two brothers, one a stern and terrifying pirate, the other cheerful and carefree, forced to put aside their close bond and fight each other when a tragic love led the latter to fall in with the Marines. Within a few minutes, Luffy was asked to leave the theater because his laughter was disturbing the other guests.

And of course, there were all sorts of artifacts, including such things as tattered flags, weapons, ancient newspapers and bounty posters, and even a chipped sake cup that claimed to have belonged to Shanks (Luffy thought it was much too small for something Shanks would have used). Every now and then, though, they came across something they recognized without any help from the label. Like the nodachi resting on a silk-covered display stand. Or the battered red umbrella that stopped Zoro in his tracks.

Some of the fun began to fade as the Straw Hats saw item after item that brought home to them how far in the past it all was. They had never been overly bothered by the idea of fame, but this feeling of having their lives picked apart and examined, their deeds discussed and lectured on—it was different, somehow. They remembered these events, these people, but here, they were simply part of history; things to learn about in school or to be used in children's make-believe. Friends, family, and enemies—and people who were none of those, but had still _been there_ —everyone was long dead and gone. Even the idea that some of them might come back, as Law had, could not prevent a distinctly uncomfortable feeling from settling in, and by the time they at last approached the room holding the devil fruit, even Luffy's excitement had dimmed.

The fruit was easily the most popular exhibit in the museum, and there was a sizable line ahead of them. Luffy's stomach was rumbling long before they finally entered the room and got their first look at the reason they had come to this island.

It wasn't the Gomu-Gomu no Mi. Luffy's heart sank slightly; but then, if the museum had gotten the pirate king's own fruit, they probably wouldn't have kept it secret. They would have made sure everyone knew. At least, that was what Robin had said, and most of the others had agreed. So he had been prepared.

Their trip hadn't been wasted, though. They were still a few rows back from the pedestal, but even from here, Luffy could see enough to know it matched the picture Robin had shown them of the Hana-Hana no Mi. The soft pink fruit almost seemed to glow against the dark purple cushion it rested on.

Luffy turned to look at Robin. She stood rooted to the spot, looking younger than he had ever seen her. The others were watching her, too, and Sanji sidled up to her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Robin-chan…"

Robin shook herself and looked at him. "I'm fine, Sanji." She smiled. "It feels…much more real, seeing it here."

"'Real' is the question, though, isn't it?" Franky said. "They could be trying to trick us with a fake."

"Oh, it's not fake," a cheerful voice said from behind them.

The Straw Hats turned. The girl was about sixteen, with shoulder-length brown hair pulled into pigtails. Her clothes had a definite flavor of "pirate costume", complete with a jingling waist sash and bandana, and a name tag pinned to her striped shirt read "Maya".

She smiled. "We would never deceive our visitors like that. It would kind of ruin the fun of this place, don't you think?"

"I…suppose so," Nami said.

"Is this your first time here?" Maya asked.

Nami nodded. "We just arrived on the island this morning."

"Well, I hope we haven't made a bad impression." She giggled nervously. "Everything's been kinda wild with the new exhibit."

"Oh, no, everything's been fantastic!" Sanji leaped forward, clasping her hands between his. "Especially now that you're here, my lovely angel."

"Oh!" Maya blushed furiously, eyes dropping to the floor. "Um, well, that's—that's good. Um—"

"Honestly, would you please learn the meaning of personal space?" Nami smacked Sanji's hands away. "You're making the poor girl uncomfortable!"

"Oh, no no no! Please don't worry about me." Maya waved her hands in front of her. "I've only been working here a year, but I can handle a few rude customers." She froze as she realized what she'd said. "Um, I mean—I wasn't saying you were rude, any of you! I'm so sorry, sometimes I just say things without thinking, and—" She gave a little bow, surfacing with a sheepish smile on her face. "Um, anyway, if there's anything I can do to help, or if you have any questions or anything, just tell me! My name is Maya, by the way—" She broke off again, looking down at her name tag. "Oh. I guess you knew that already, huh?"

Nami smiled at her and held out a hand. "No, it's fine. Pleased to meet you, Maya, I'm N—" And now it was Nami's turn to stop abruptly, a look of panic flitting across her face.

Names. Even after that tricky moment in the atrium, they still hadn't taken the time to come up with fake names. Luffy bit his lip. He shouldn't have let the museum distract him so much. Nami had said it was important, and as the captain, he should make sure the important stuff got done. Luffy was trying furiously to think of a name—hopefully one that started with "N" and didn't sound too much like a made-up nickname—when Zoro pushed past him with a swish of dark leather.

"Nora." Zoro laid a hand on Nami's shoulder. "This is Nora."

Nami snapped around to stare at him in surprise; then, remembering herself, she forced a hasty smile onto her face and turned back to Maya. "Yes...that's right. I'm sorry, I almost forgot my own name for a second, there!" Her giggle sounded almost normal, if a little higher-pitched than it should have been.

Maya laughed. "I probably would, too, if I didn't have this." She pointed at her tag. "And your friends?"

"Ah…" Nami began—but again, Zoro stepped in smoothly.

:"Loverboy over there is Aubrey," He jerked a thumb at Sanji. "This is Renata"—Zoro waved a hand at Robin—"Francis"—he pointed to Franky—"Oscar"—nodding at Usopp—"and, uh—" He looked at Luffy, suddenly lost.

Luffy understood. Zoro was using names they'd gone by in other lives, but as he'd never seen Luffy during that time, he had nothing else to call him.

"Diego," Luffy said after a moment's hesitation. The name had belonged to some great-great-uncle or other that had done something terribly important for the family business—Luffy had tried to pay attention, but even his love for stories hadn't been able to keep him interested once numbers and politics and _rules_ had gotten involved—and he'd been told more than once that he should be proud of receiving it as a middle name. Though with his memories restored, he suspected that the choice had had more to do with the name's initial letter of "D", courtesy of whatever force had brought them back and given them their original names this time around.

Sanji stepped forward, clapping a hand to Zoro's shoulder. "And this is Casper. Don't be put off by his looks; he's real friendly."

Luffy bit his lip to hold back a snort of laughter. A few spluttering sounds came from Usopp and Franky's direction. Zoro turned to look at Sanji, and Luffy could feel the suspicious glare that was hidden behind Zoro's sunglasses.

Maya hadn't seemed to notice the awkward moments in their introductions. "Nice to meet you!" She smiled. "I'm so glad you decided to visit us. This island is so beautiful, and the museum's just awesome. Have you seen the interactive exhibits yet? Those are my favorites—they're more fun than looking at dusty old relics." She paused, and then her hands were in motion again, as though she could call back the words if she just waved them hard enough. "Ah, I mean, not that the artifacts here are dusty—they're definitely not—or that there's anything wrong with liking them even if they were! I mean, I like them too, it's just—"

"It's okay, we understand." Nami made an admirable attempt at a straight face.

"Anyway, so… Right, the interactive exhibits are really cool, and some of the movies are fun, and… Oh!" Maya fumbled in a pocket. "Have you been to the cafe yet? I have these vouchers I'm supposed to be giving out—I completely forgot!" She pulled out a small stack of cards. "The food's really good. And I'm not just saying that because I work here—ah!"

Maya's fingers slipped on the cards. A few dropped from the pile, and as she snatched at them, the entire stack headed for the floor in a fluttering shower. She lunged forward to try to catch them, and her shiny pirate boots slipped on the first few cards that had landed at her feet. She went down with a shriek—directly on top of Luffy, who had hurried forward at the mention of food and had also attempted to grab the falling vouchers.

"Ouch…" Luffy muttered, rubbing his head as he slowly sat up.

"Sorry!" Maya pulled herself back to a kneeling position. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I'm always doing stuff like that—it's why I'm not allowed to work with the artifacts yet, they say I'm too clumsy—Oh my gosh!" Her eyes widened as they focused on Luffy's face.

Luffy heard a quiet gasp from Nami above him. He scooted back from Maya, and his right hand landed on something soft. He looked down. His blond wig was a silky mound on the floor, next to the replica Ace hat.

Luffy's hand shot up to his head, touching his own black hair. From the corner of his eye, he saw his sunglasses lying a short distance from the wig. "Oops," he said. "Um—"

"Oh my gosh, you look just like the pirate king!" Maya squealed, scrambling forward to peer at Luffy closely. She grinned at him. " _Awesome_ cosplay!"

"Uh…thanks!" Luffy said. Maybe he could still get out of this. "We spent a lot of time on it. Um, but it's not finished yet, so—"

"Oh, I knew that." Maya counted off on her fingers. "You still need the scars, that's not the right hat, and personally, if I were dressing up as Luffy, I'd go with the red shirt and blue pants—they're the ones most people would recognize. Ah, not that there's anything wrong with doing an alternate outfit, of course!" she added. "But your _face_! You'd be hired here instantly with a face that similar!"

"There's a market here for impersonators?" Nami asked.

"Of course!" Maya started collecting the fallen vouchers. "There are regular live performances and events, both here and at the park—plus the cafe, of course. It's not _only_ famous for the food, you know!" She looked up at Nami and paused, then scrambled to her feet. "Wait a minute—" Maya leaned closer, and Nami took a nervous step backward as the girl peered beneath her hat.

"Oh my gosh, you totally look like Nami the Cat Burglar!" Maya removed the hat with a quick tug, and Nami's bright orange hair fell free.

Nami snatched the hat back instantly and began fixing her hair back into place. "It's rude to take other people's things without asking, you know!"

Luffy laughed—really, how could he not, when it was _Nami_ saying something like that—climbed to his feet, and did his best to reassemble his own disguise. The wig was hopeless—he'd never get all his hair tucked under it on his own, without even a mirror to help—but he slid the sunglasses back on, and settled the orange hat as far down on his head as it could go while still allowing him to see.

"I'm sorry!" Maya's face was red. "I wasn't trying to take it! I was just excited and got carried away. I'm so sorry!"

Nami sighed. "Well, I suppose there's no harm done…probably."

"Sorry," Maya repeated. Then her eyes strayed to the others. "But… wow, all of you could pass for Straw Hats, with just a little work. That nose is perfect for Usopp—way better than the guy serving in the cafe now, he has to use a prosthetic!" She swung around. "And you! Some makeup for the eyebrow and change the hairstyle, and you'd be great as Sanji." She laughed a little. "Well, there aren't a lot of good images of him, so people tend not to care what the face looks like as long as one eye's hidden and the eyebrow is swirly."

"Ah…thanks," Sanji managed, directing a murderous glare toward a sniggering Zoro.

"You _have_ to try it! Please? You'd be perfect! Even just for the weekend—it's been so busy this week that they've been hiring a lot of temporary help. I know they'd love you!"

"Ah, well…" Nami hesitated. "It's really been that busy?"

"You have no idea." Maya looked around the packed room. "This is actually one of the _slower_ days we've had since the exhibit opened." She giggled. "Even my brother got roped into helping, and he hates anything to do with the pirate era."

"Well, I'm flattered you think we'd be good at it, and I'm sure we'd all love to help, but…"

"Of course, we'd be happy to help out, at least for a day or two!" Usopp broke in. "Do you think we could start today?"

Maya's face lit up. "Really? That's awesome! Um, you probably could, if they like you. Why don't I take you up to speak with the managers? Let me just call someone to take over for me here real quick. Don't move!" She slipped through the crowd toward the door, pulling out a den den mushi as she went.

"Usopp, what were you thinking?" Nami asked. "We don't have time to be playing dress-up for tourists. I know all this adoration can be exciting, but—"

"I was _thinking_ ," Usopp said, "that as part of the staff, we'd have an easier time finding out about this place—security measures, the layout of the building, maybe even get access after hours."

"Oh." Nami blinked. "That's…a good point. I should have thought of that myself. But it would also bring us to their attention. If there _is_ someone behind this…"

"Then perhaps we should split up," Robin suggested. "Usopp's idea is worth pursuing, but there's no need to make ourselves an easier target by all staying in the same area."

"I can't do it, anyway," Zoro said. "I'm going to need to get these off soon." He flicked a hand at his clothes.

"Right," Nami said. "Usopp, this was your idea, so you're staying. I'll stay too; I have a better eye for the kind of stuff that would be useful to know."

"I'm staying, too!" Luffy put a hand up. "I want to try the cafe!"

"Luffy, they'd be hiring us to work, not to eat all their food," Nami said. Luffy turned pleading eyes on her, and she wilted. "Fine. Luffy's staying."

"I'm doing it, too," Sanji said. "I won't leave you alone here, Nami-san. Besides, I want to see if their cooking is really as good as they claim. Got to make sure they're representing the era properly." He grinned.

"Okay," Nami said. "Zoro, you head back to the ship with Robin and Franky and let Brook and Chopper know what's going on. The rest of us"—she smiled at them—"have an interview to pass."

* * *

Maya was disappointed to hear that they wouldn't all be staying, but quickly perked back up as she guided them to an office on an upper floor, not far from the cafe. "That's probably where they'll want you," she said. "The cafe's always popular, even when we aren't this busy, and the guy that was supposed to play Sanji today called in sick, so they're a bit short-handed right now."

The interview was brief, mainly consisting of an audition to see how well they could act like themselves. The manager had a few notes on their performances (Luffy was far too childish; Usopp's air wasn't menacing enough; Nami should be sure to choose a sexy outfit and _use it_ ), but happily approved their employment and sent them off to Makeup.

* * *

Luffy fidgeted in his chair as a girl with blue hair applied makeup to his face, creating a replica of the scar that had once sat below his eye. It was hard holding still so long, and _weird_ to think that they were dressing him up to look like himself. His hand itched to reach for his chest, where the girl had created a disturbingly realistic copy of the scar he'd gotten from Akainu. She'd slapped his hand the last time he'd tried, though, so he gripped the arms of the chair tightly and looked over to see how Sanji was doing.

There had been a bit of an awkward moment when Azolla, the makeup artist assigned to Sanji, had noticed that he was already wearing makeup—makeup that concealed an eyebrow very similar to the one she'd been about to give him. They had managed to smooth things over with a little fast talking, though the employees now seemed to be under the impression that the cook was a descendant of the _real_ Sanji.

"If cooking skill runs in the family, too, they'll never want to let you go," Azolla was saying. "We've had to resort to wigs a few times, because it's harder than you'd think to find blond guys who are decent actors and also cook like professionals."

Nadia, Luffy's blue-haired artist, nodded. "Or sometimes they've made the food in the back kitchens and just _told_ people that 'Sanji' cooked it. They don't like doing that, though; the live cooking exhibitions are really popular. It's part of the reason the job pays so well."

"Don't worry, lovely ladies—my talents in the kitchen are equaled only by your beauty! Come see me later and I'll prepare something special just for you."

"Well, you've certainly got the right attitude." Azolla tucked a strand of green hair behind her ear before leaning in to finish up Sanji's makeup. "Some people like to view Sanji as a sex-crazed pervert, but personally, I think he was probably more like one of those old-fashioned knights, all charming and chivalrous and protecting women and stuff. Now, that kind of thing has its own problems, don't get me wrong. But at least guys like that usually mean well."

"Well, I guess we'll never know for sure," Nadia said. "Unless some archaeologist digs up one of the Straw Hats' diaries or something like that." She flicked a soft brush at Luffy's nose. "All right, kid, you're done. Why don't you head on over to Costuming and join your other friends?"

"Okay." Luffy slid off the stool. "You're almost done, right, Sa—ah, um…Sanji?" He knew the name Zoro had given Sanji had started with an "A", but he didn't remember exactly what it was—and since these people thought Sanji was playing, well, Sanji, he figured it would be okay to use his real name.

"Sure, sure." Sanji waved a hand at him, gesturing toward the door. "I'll be right behind you, after the ladies and I have finished our business." He turned adoring eyes on the two girls.

Luffy sighed. "Don't take too long." He didn't like leaving Sanji alone—especially with women, opponents he wouldn't fight back against if they turned out to be trouble—but he didn't feel anything bad from Nadia and Azolla, and the rest of them would be just in the next room. They could get here almost instantly if anything happened.

Besides, he wanted to see the costumes.

* * *

Luffy couldn't decide whether or not he liked Marcel, the little man in charge of costumes. On the one hand, there had been a large sign on the door forbidding all food and drink inside the room—which was followed, once Luffy had entered, by a strict lecture on what he could and could not do involving food while in costume. Also, the man flatly refused to let Luffy to wear any armor, even though there was quite a bit of it along one wall.

But Marcel seemed genuinely excited by Luffy's appearance, and gave him his pick from a rack of outfits that had been deemed suitable for a pirate king. Similar to the statue in the museum's atrium, all the outfits came with captain's coats, lavishly embroidered and gleaming with polished metal. Luffy tried a few on. They would probably be impractical to fight in—the extra weight and fabric made it a little harder to move around—but Luffy thought he looked _almost_ as cool in them as he would have in armor, and he wondered if they'd let him keep one when he left.

He eventually settled on a rich red coat that sported stylized dragons in gold sequins and embroidery. The coat itself came nearly to his knees, and it had an attached cloak that stopped just short of brushing the floor. It wasn't the sort of thing one would normally wear with shorts and sandals, but Luffy decided he looked awesome, and Marcel seemed to agree.

"You're _perfect_!" Marcel beamed as he led Luffy over to join Usopp and Nami. "We haven't had actors this convincing in years—maybe ever! Why, if I didn't know better, I'd think you really _were_ … Are you quite sure you can't stay longer?" He looked at Nami with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry." Nami smoothed the skirt of the peach and cream dress she wore. As the manager had requested, it was sexy, though it had avoided crossing the line into skimpy. It hugged the curves of her body before flaring out into a short skirt, shaping and supporting in all the right places, revealing but not overly exposing. Luffy had seen immediately that Nami liked the dress. Usopp seemed happy with his outfit as well, a bold yellow thing only slightly less ostentatious than Luffy's. Maybe they should just ask for the clothes as payment. After all, they weren't doing this for the money.

"We're really only here for a couple of days," Nami said.

"Such a shame," Marcel said with a sigh. "Well, if you change your minds, or if you ever choose to return, my dressing room will be waiting for you."

"You'll be the first to know if we do," Nami assured him.

Sanji entered then, and it was a near thing to keep him from ruining his makeup with a bloody nose once he saw Nami in the dress. After he'd calmed down, he was kitted out in a dark suit, much less showy than Luffy and Usopp's clothes, with only subtle embroidery along the edges and the tops of the pockets.

Marcel explained that there were plainer outfits for the others as well, but that people liked to see a little flash now and then, and the museum was pulling out all the stops this week to go along with the fruit. After promising to come up to see them at work before the museum closed for the day, he turned them back over to Maya—who gushed over them for five minutes straight before finally leading them to the staff entrance of the famous cafe.

Luffy's mouth was watering before they'd even got in the door. It smelled fantastic, and their lunch in the theme park was a half-forgotten memory.

Maya introduced them first to the cafe's manager, then to the other actor staff on duty that day. There were eight, besides themselves. The girls playing Robin and Vivi were quite beautiful, and remarkably close in looks. There was a Kid, who didn't quite manage to appear as fierce as the original; an Aokiji, who was at least two feet too short but otherwise nearly identical; a Zoro and a Mihawk, who were apparently childhood friends and acting much too friendly with each other to fit their characters; a Hancock, who, while lovely, would have paled if set beside the real one; and—Luffy's breath caught.

And an Ace.

If he hadn't known that Ace was… somewhere else, Luffy would have thought that his brother had been reborn, just like Law. As the man drew closer, Luffy decided that his freckles were probably makeup, his eyebrows were too thick, and his nose was centered just a bit differently. But it was startling, how close a match he was.

"Hey, you look awesome," "Ace" said. "So, I guess I get to be your big brother for a couple days, huh?" He grinned at Luffy. "I'd ask your name, but they don't let us use our own names while we're working. Hope you don't mind if I just call you Luffy for now."

"Sure," Luffy said, though he wondered if he'd really be able to call this stranger by his brother's name. Hopefully it wouldn't come up.

After everyone had said hello—and Sanji had been peeled away from the girls—the manager explained what would be expected of them, and they were given their assignments for the day. Nami had dropped some not-so subtle hints that it would be better not to let Luffy wait tables or do any food prep, so he found himself stationed near the entrance as a host. Nami and Usopp were waiting tables. Sanji, of course, was put on cooking duty, at a spacious station right out on the cafe floor. The chef slid into his role with ease, and it wasn't long before he'd been blocked from Luffy's view by a growing crowd. Luffy's stomach rumbled again as the scent of Sanji's cooking hit his nose. He should have insisted on getting something to eat before they started.

"Here."

Luffy turned around, to see "Ace" holding out a plate of food. There was a wedge of pie filled with some sort of green vegetable, a couple of fat, juicy-looking sausages, and a tall glass filled with layers of fruit, ice cream, and pudding.

"I thought you might be hungry," "Ace" said. "I'm not as good as your friend over there, but I know how to make some of the basic stuff off the menu." He extended the plate toward Luffy. "You can sit at that table behind you. I'll watch the door for a few minutes."

Luffy grinned. "Thanks!" He took the plate and sat down. This man might not be his brother, but he was still a nice guy. Not a bad cook, either, he noted as he dug in.

A moment later, "Ace" dropped into a seat across from Luffy, apparently deciding he could keep an eye on the door without actually standing at it. "Did they really just recruit you off the floor?" he asked. "You didn't ask for an interview or anything?"

"Yep!" Luffy said through a mouthful of sausage. "We were looking at the fruit, then Maya fell on me and she got all excited and brought us upstairs."

"Ace" laughed. "That's more fun than my story," he said. "I just came in and asked for an interview." He paused. "Well, actually, I tried to get hired as security first, but they mostly use surveillance den den mushi and computerized systems, so you have to be really good for them to take you on as a human guard." He grinned. "But one of my interviewers mentioned that I looked a lot like Fire Fist, and that I should try to get hired as a character instead. So I did, and here I am." He spread his arms in an expansive gesture.

"Wow, guess you got lucky, huh?" Luffy mentally repeated what the man had just told him. Nami would want to know everything she could about the museum's security.

"Sure did. It's a fun job, and sometimes we get to stage fights for visitors, so my skills don't completely go to waste." He leaned closer to Luffy. "But that fruit's really something, huh? All the staff got to see it the day before the exhibit opened. It was so hard not to tell my friends which one it was when I got home that night."

"Did they let you touch it?" Luffy asked. Maybe they'd let him hold it, and then he'd just keep holding it while he got out of there. Somehow.

"Nah." The man shook his head. "No one got to touch it except the director and the guy that brought it here. It'd be too easy for someone to do something to it. Maybe even steal a piece of the fruit and eat it."

"Would you eat it, if you had a chance?"

"Ace" considered. "Not that one," he said at last. "I suppose there are some fruits I'd be willing to give up my ability to swim for, but I'm not likely to ever see any of them, let alone have a chance to eat 'em, so they might as well not exist for me."

Luffy wondered if the Mera-Mera no Mi stowed on board Sunny would be one of them. At any rate, it didn't sound like working here would really give them better access to the fruit. But he'd found out something, at least. Maybe the others had, too. And if not, well—the food was still good.

 

* * *

 

Nami wasn't in a good mood as they returned to the ship that night. Her feet were sore, her arms ached from carrying trays of food, and most of Luffy's income for the day had gone to cover the cost of food he had been caught sneaking from the kitchen. All right, so the money wasn't their most important reason for being there—but it still _mattered_ , and there was no need to waste it like that!

They had, at least, been able to find out some useful information about the museum. That didn't help her mood much, though, because she could see two possible ways to break in and steal the fruit without bringing down all the museum's security measures on their heads, and she didn't like either of them. The first would be hard—extremely hard—and very risky. The second would be laughably easy if everything went well—but that was a big if, and it was almost certainly riskier than the first.

Well. If it was going to be risky either way, might as well take a gamble.

 

* * *

 

"Let's go over it one more time."

"For fuck's sake, Nami, I know the plan!" Zoro hissed.

Nami gave him a dark look. "With you involved, there's no such thing as too much preparation."

Zoro rolled his eye and huffed impatiently. "I go inside, invisible, get to the security office, and shut down the system. Then you walk in, take the fruit, and we leave. Easy."

"Don't jinx it." Nami tucked herself a little lower in the bush. They were crouched beneath a window on the museum's south side, away from the entrances and—if her information was correct—in a blind spot of the surveillance systems. "We've got less than two hours before the guards make a sweep of the building—and the devil fruit room will be one of the first places they check, once they notice something's wrong." She rubbed her forehead. "I can't believe this plan depends on you finding your way somewhere. Quickly. I should have just come alone."

"I'm the one who should have come alone," Zoro retorted. "I could just go to the room and take the fruit myself, you know. No need to wait for you."

"No," she snapped. "If you did it while the security's still up, they'd get a very nice recording of a ghost—who just so happens to look _exactly_ like a famous pirate. And besides, stealing things is _my_ area, remember? The way I'll do it, they won't even know we took it until much later."

"All right, fine. Stop complaining and let me get started already."

"Fine. Remember, the security office is on the fourth floor. That means you go _up_."

"I _know_ , damn it!"

"On the south side. That's the one we're on now." Nami pointed. "You literally just have to go straight up. Can you please manage that? Somehow?"

Zoro glared. "Just be ready to move once I'm done," he growled. Then he blinked out of sight.

Nami narrowed her eyes. He hadn't tried to teleport into the room, had he? Zoro was fine when he had an anchor—like a direct line of sight, or another person's presence—but without one, he would invariably miss the mark, turning up anywhere from a few dozen feet to a mile or two away from where he meant to go.

Muttering, Nami retreated even further into the bush and began calculating how much time she'd need to bypass the security on the window and do the job herself.

She'd give Zoro half an hour before switching to Option One.

* * *

Nami very generously waited an extra fifteen minutes past her appointed time limit before springing to her feet with a quiet snarl.

"It's a straight line," she whispered furiously, pulling out a pouch of tools and easing alongside the window. "You would think he would at least have learned how not to get lost on a _straight line_ after _four hundred years_!"

When this was over, she decided as she began disabling the window's alarms, she was going to get a big bag of salt, lay down some tracks, and _force_ the idiot to follow a straight path until the lesson sank in.

 

* * *

 

Fourth floors, Zoro was reasonably sure, were supposed to be above third floors, and below fifth floors, if a building had one. This particular fourth floor, however, didn't seem to want to play by the rules. He was certain it had moved at least three times since he'd starting looking for it. But he'd tracked it down at last, and had even managed to outsmart its attempts to lead him away from the security office by using the human presences he could sense as a guide, reckoning that there would be at least one guard watching the room. (Apparently, several members of the administration staff with offices on the fourth floor had also stayed after hours, but he'd gotten the right room in the end.)

_It's easy, Zoro,_ he mocked, in his best mental imitation of Nami's voice. _Just go up, Zoro. Do you know what a straight line is, Zoro?_ He allowed himself the quietest of scoffs as he slid through the door. He'd like to see _her_ deal with a building that switched things around every time she turned a corner.

There were two guards in the room. One was watching the video feed from the den den mushi; the other tapped industriously at the keyboard of his computer. Zoro moved closer, watching them carefully. At least one of them had to be near some sort of alarm button, and he needed to take them out before they could reach it.

The first guard had a large yellow button on the console in front of him; set apart from the other keys and looking highly conspicuous. But then he spotted a smaller red button on the underside of the second guard's station. _Shit, that could be it, too._ Or maybe they both were. Or maybe it was another button entirely. He'd have to be very careful, and very fast.

He didn't have his swords, of course, which was annoying, but he still had options—some of them due in part to the curly-brow's information, he admitted grudgingly. Looking around the room for something he could use, his eyes fell on a desk in the corner of the room. In addition to work-related items (another computer, stacks of paper, several gadgets, at least one of which looked like it might be a weapon), the desk's owner had added a few personal touches—including a small bowl filled with colorful marbles. Smirking, Zoro reached out with his mind and lifted two of the largest into the air.

One guard heard the faint clack of glass and turned, but Zoro had already whipped the marbles behind the desk and out of his sight. Shrugging, the guard turned back.

Silently, Zoro brought the marbles forward, lining up his shots, then sent them speeding toward the guards with a fierce mental shove. The glass spheres slammed into the guards' temples, and the men crumpled, neither twitching so much as a finger in the direction of the suspicious buttons.

"Heh." Zoro allowed his smirk to grow wider as he stepped up to the computers. "Easy." He might not have Usopp's sharpshooting ability, but it didn't make a difference at such close range. Being able to affect physical objects without becoming solid was damn useful. He was almost tempted to thank the cook.

Unfortunately, the functions of the computer's keys were no clearer now that he was standing in front of them. Most were labeled with words he didn't know the meaning of. Others were blank, apparently relying on color, shape, or the guards' knowledge to disclose their function.

Well, he wouldn't get anywhere just staring at them. Shifting into solidity, Zoro jabbed experimentally at a light blue key near the center of the panel.

The images on the screens flickered and changed. They still showed the same rooms, but the angles were different, and the colors were off as well. Some sort of heat-based camera, he guessed, rather than the normal video from the den den mushi. That didn't help him.

The next key he tried brought up a map of the museum, with locations of laser grids, security doors, and other protective measures clearly marked. That would have been helpful to Nami earlier, but he needed to shut the things down, not avoid them.

After several more failures—including a particularly alarming one that resulted in music blasting from the room's speakers for several seconds before he found the key again and made it stop—Zoro was running out of patience.

"Turn off, damn it!" he snarled, punching at a black key on the left side of the panel.

The screen in front of him changed, the camera feed replaced by a few lines of text on a black background, informing him he had reached the main operations panel and inviting him to select an option to continue.

Zoro stared at it for several seconds, bewildered. He was sure he was on the right track with this, but he had no clue what he was supposed to do from here. After some trial and error, he managed to choose an option from the menu. He tried the one marked "Security" first—that was what he was supposed to be shutting down, after all.

But the security menu contained at least a dozen more options, none of them helpfully named "Power" or "Shutdown" or anything else obviously useful. The spark of hope that had flared when he found the menu was dying fast, and his irritation began to mount once again.

Then, unbelievably, he found something. It was under the "System" menu, and sounded like a general shutdown of all power in the building rather than just the security, but Zoro figured it was close enough. He clicked.

A fraction of a second later, the computer informed him that he would need IDs and passcodes from two verified members of the security team, as well as the general staff entry code, to carry out that function. The IDs were no great difficulty—the two guards napping on the floor had them pinned to their shirts—but how the hell was he supposed to get the codes?

At that moment, Zoro's patience snapped.

"To hell with this," he growled. There had to be another way. Probably, he should have left one of the guards awake and forced him to do the job. But that would have been tricky to pull off without revealing himself or giving the guard a chance to set off an alarm.

Maybe he should just get to the room himself and remove the fruit via telekinesis. It would certainly look strange on their cameras, but not so overtly damning as making himself visible. But time was running out. There had to be something he could do here, now.

"Damn computers," he muttered, closing his eye. Why couldn't they have stuck with surveillance den dens and regular guards? Then he'd just have had to fight his way through. All this fancy electrical stuff…

His eye snapped open.

_Electrical_. A voice echoed in the back of his head—Sanji's, speaking in the confident tones of an expert imparting knowledge.

" _Ghosts can mess up all kinds of shit when it comes to electricity and technology. Some can literally talk to machines, get 'em to do whatever they want. Some can control electricity like a devil fruit user and do a ton of damage. Mostly it's smaller stuff, though—feedback, triggering an electronic switch, shorting out a computer system, that sort of thing."_

_Shorting out a computer system, huh?_ Zoro grinned. _Sounds good to me._

But how to do it? He hadn't had a chance to practice yet—he'd promised Franky he wouldn't try it on the ship, and this was the first island they'd arrived at since he'd found out about the ability.

What had the cook said? It was supposed to be related to getting solid—something about drawing power out of the air, wasn't it?

Zoro relaxed into intangibility, then set his hand just above the computer panel, drew energy, and pushed down—

—And his solid hand thumped against the metal.

"Damn."

He tried several more times, with the same result. A wave of frustration washed over him. Why was this so difficult? From the way Sanji had talked, this was an easy thing, like the telekinesis. It wasn't supposed to be difficult or take a lot of power the way becoming solid did.

And Sanji's voice piped up again.

" _Manifestation takes a shitload of energy, and most ghosts can't pull anywhere near that much. But you only need a little to mess with technology."_

On his next attempt, Zoro tried to restrain his draw of energy, beginning the process but not gathering anywhere near the amount he'd need to become tangible. He felt a slight warmth along his body, and this time, when he stretched his arm toward the computer, there was a fraction of a second's resistance—and then his hand plunged deep into the panel.

A moment later, all the screens went dark.

Grinning, Zoro pulled back his hand. He was just gearing up to congratulate himself when the lights on the control panel flickered. The computer made an unpleasant grinding click—and the silence of the night was broken by the shrill of alarms from across the entire building.

He hadn't shorted out the system. He'd set it off.

 

* * *

 

_Thieving should have its own title,_ Nami thought. _"Queen of Thieves", complete with a story and a legendary treasure, just like the One Piece._ "Queen", because after what she'd done in the past hour, she fully believed she deserved the title.

Seriously, disabling no less than six locks and alarms on a window, then making it up three flights of stairs in a building bristling with cameras, surveillance den den mushi, and enough alarms and anti-theft measures to secure a small country—all without being seen—wasn't something just anyone could do. Even for an expert like her, it was _hard_.

Which was why she had attempted the other plan first.

Which was why Zoro had better run for his afterlife the next time she saw him.

But she was nearly there now. The devil fruit room was on the fourth floor. The security office was here, too, and she debated heading there first, but her current position was closer to the fruit, and she now had a pretty good idea of how she could exit the building unseen after getting it.

Nami crept forward, hugging the wall and ducking at the appropriate places to avoid the roving den dens. The entrance to the room was just ahead. The doors were tightly locked, but there were no guards in sight.

This was the tricky part. She would almost certainly be in the path of at least one camera or den den while she entered the room. This was the only door she could reach from this side of the building, though, and any air vents into the room were far too small to admit her. Maybe she should have brought Chopper.

Well, she'd just have to move quickly and hope whoever was watching the video feed wasn't paying attention—or that Zoro had _finally_ made it to security and taken care of anyone there. Carefully, she eased away from the wall and darted forward, reaching the dubious safety of the shadows beside the doors in a handful of seconds.

The alarms went off just as she turned to inspect the lock.

Professional thief though she might be, Nami jumped at the sudden racket, and she had to work to hold back a yelp. Instinct took over— _get away, find somewhere safe, don't get caught—_ and she scuttled back from the doors, whirling to retreat to someplace less vulnerable.

She hadn't taken five steps when a figure slid from a doorway ahead and blocked her path.

"I'm impressed." The voice was like a river—cool, flowing, but trembling with a hidden current of something more. Excitement? Anger? Fear? She couldn't tell.

The figure stepped forward. The muted lights of the museum's night illumination fell on a head of golden hair, lit up a face that held a thin, calculating smile.

Nami recognized him. "You're the ticket seller that was outside the museum today. What are you doing here?"

He'd set aside the Marine costume. Now, he wore dark gray pants and a close-fitting black jacket with a high collar. A deep red cuff glittered at the top of his left ear like a drop of blood.

The thin smile stretched a fraction further, and his green eyes glinted. "I'm doing the job I was sent here to do," he said. "But who would have thought you'd make it this far? Perhaps you really are…"

Nami swallowed. "I'm what?"

He shook his head. "I don't like to share theories. I prefer solid proof. In any case, you'll be coming with me."

The alarms shut off. The sudden silence did nothing to put her at ease.

Nami's eyes darted to the side, assessing her options. She didn't know what he was capable of, but she knew she could move fast. If she turned and ran, now, maybe she could—

"I suggest you don't try anything," the blond said. "If you attempt to run, I might have to kill you. And I'd prefer not to exercise that option just yet."


	15. Testing Boundaries

She ran anyway.

She heard no footsteps behind her as she pelted down the corridor, and for a fleeting moment, she thought she might actually make it.

With a snap, a hand clamped down on her shoulder, jerking her to a halt. An instant later, a breath tickled her ear.

"You don't listen well, do you?" The blond snaked an arm around her neck, his other hand raising to pull off the tight cap she'd been wearing to hide her distinctive hair. Orange locks tumbled free, and he ran his hand through them gently. Then, suddenly, he tightened his grip and jerked.

Nami gasped in pain as her head was pulled back. "Stop!" she managed. "I'll… I'll go with you."

The hands restraining her retreated, and she took a stumbling step forward, coughing.

"Of course you will."

Nami turned to face him. His smile had vanished, and his eyes were like chips of emerald ice. One hand twirled a few strands of orange hair.

"Don't try that again," he warned her. "I won't be so nice about catching you next time. And I _will_ catch you."

Nami nodded, mouth dry. She didn't need Haki to know that this man was far stronger than she'd first assumed. She'd have to go with him for now, and hope that a chance to escape would appear later—maybe he'd turn her over to the regular guards, or maybe Zoro would finally turn up. _Right_ now _would be great._ However strong the blond was, she doubted he could beat Zoro, even without his swords.

But the footsteps she heard a minute later, as he walked her down the corridor, belonged not to a wayward ghost, but to two museum guards, both carrying some kind of electrified baton. They stopped short when they saw Nami and her captor, and the wary expressions on their faces didn't change when they recognized the blond.

One of the men nodded at him. "I see you've already caught the intruder."

"No," he said, surprising her. "She didn't set off the alarms. But the other one will be here soon, I'm sure." He pushed Nami forward. "Make yourself useful and cuff her while we're waiting."

The security guard bristled, but removed a set of handcuffs from his belt and pulled Nami's arms behind her. "Why would anyone come here now, with the alarms triggered and guards outside the door? They're probably hightailing it for the exit."

"I don't think so." The thin smile was back. "But if you're concerned, feel free to check the exits yourselves. I certainly don't need your help here."

The guard's face flushed. "You probably don't," he agreed. "I know who you're working for, and I know you wouldn't be if you weren't good at what you do. But you're not in command here, boy. Don't overstep your authority."

It was the blond's turn to flush, a scowl accompanying the color. "When it comes to this fruit, I have absolute authority," he snapped. "Stay or go, I don't care. Just don't get in my way."

The guard clenched his teeth, then turned to his partner. "Head downstairs," he said. "Check the exits. I'll be down to join you after I take care of this intruder. We'll leave the magic produce to the kid."

"She stays."

"You expect me to allow a thief to loiter in the museum halls?"

"I expect you to stay out of my way. She was after the fruit. That means she's mine to deal with. This is what I'm _here_ for." He smiled at Nami. "Besides, with her here, the accomplice is doubly guaranteed to come."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "You're counting on a thief's loyalty?"

From a pocket, the blond withdrew a web of metal. A glove of some kind. He slid it onto his right hand. "I'm counting on them to be something other than ordinary thieves. Shall we find out?" He pulled Nami close again. "You don't hide as well as you think you do!" His raised voice echoed down the hall. "Whatever you're doing to conceal yourself, my Haki is stronger. I know you're close." His gloved hand slid up to hover above Nami's throat. The metal straps had come to life, crackling with blue-white electricity. "Why don't you join us? I think your friend here would appreciate it."

Nami was conflicted. If there was a way for her to escape the blond on her own, she hadn't yet thought of it, so help would be decidedly welcome. But if Zoro showed himself now and gave everything away…that might put the entire crew in even more danger.

She cringed away from the glove, using the movement to draw out a small pick from a compartment at the back of her belt. Carefully, she inserted it into the cuffs' lock. Whether she found her own escape route or Zoro created one for her, she'd want her hands free.

"Don't you think you're going a bit far?" The guard shifted uncomfortably. "They're thieves, not murderers. Threatening her like this—"

"I don't need you to tell me how to do my job." One finger flicked out, and Nami jerked in his grip as the shock passed through her, nearly losing her hold on the pick. "Hurry up!" the blond called.

The guard's baton flew up, catching the blond in the shoulder. At first, Nami thought the guard had decided to come to her rescue. Then she saw the man staring in confusion at his empty hand, and understood.

The blond seemed to realize, as well—and worse, the baton's shock didn't seem to have fazed him at all. "You'll have to do better than that." He readjusted his grip on Nami. "Last chance."

Nami resigned herself to discovery. If Zoro's telekinesis wasn't good enough to beat this guy, he'd definitely show himself rather than allow her to be harmed. And sure enough, a flash of silver came within seconds.

Except that it was only a flash, and when it disappeared, the hall still appeared ghost-free.

The blond pulled Nami back a step. "What—"

The guard collapsed with a cry, sinking to the floor as if he'd been crushed under a heavy weight.

Nami and her captor watched, frozen, as the guard twitched, shuddered, then drew breath in a ragged gasp. His chest heaved a second time, a third—then, slowly, he began to push himself up.

"Shit." The voice was weak and fluttery. "Didn't think…it'd be this bad." His arms gave out, and he fell back to the carpet with a thump.

The blond dragged Nami back another step. "I don't know what you've done, but if you think threatening this man will convince me to release your friend, you're mistaken."

"Nah." The guard had pushed himself back to his knees. He looked up, and instead of a nondescript brown, his eyes were silver-green, glowing brightly in the hallway's muted lighting. "I'm using him to threaten _you_. There's a difference."

_No way._ "Zo—" Nami clamped her lips together, biting back the name before it could escape.

_I guess whatever stopped him before really was something to do with Luffy, not him._

She resumed her efforts with the pick, and a moment later, the lock gave with a muffled click. Now, if the blond would just let go of her…or at least be distracted long enough for her to get her Clima-Tact out…

"…I see." The blond shifted. His hold loosened slightly, but not enough for her to break free. Yet. "You're controlling him somehow. Well, unless you're using a devil fruit, that will narrow the possibilities considerably."

"And if I am?" Zoro's smirk sat oddly on the guard's face.

"Then I'll find that out, too. But I'm not really concerned with _how_." His eyes narrowed. "I'm much more interested in _who_."

Zoro staggered to his feet. He nearly fell again immediately, and Nami felt a flutter of worry. As they had suspected, adjusting to being back in a physical body seemed to be taking him time. His breathing was uneven, far from the automatic reflex it should have been. The borrowed body sagged toward the floor, barely supporting its own weight. Even a normal guard might be a match for Zoro in this state. Against the blond…

Mentally, she shook herself. Zoro would pull through. He always did. Slowly, she began inching her hands to the side, keeping them as close together as possible to give the appearance they were still bound.

"I'd tell you to give your own name before asking for someone else's," Zoro said, "but that might imply I'd return the favor, and I'm feeling a bit shy tonight." His smirk grew wider. Facial expressions, at least, seemed to pose little trouble for him.

The blond shrugged a shoulder. "Then, for the moment, the truth is whatever I want it to be. And I can think of one or two theories that would be highly satisfying to imagine while I'm kicking your ass."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Strange. Seems your shyness is catching."

"Tch, fine. But I doubt you've got it right, if you think you're going to be the one kicking ass here."

Behind her, Nami felt the blond stiffen. His reply was a second late in coming. "Big words, for someone who's barely standing."

Zoro snorted. "Have you ever actually fought anyone before, kid? Everyone talks big. The good ones are either strong enough to back up what they say, or clever enough at talking that they don't need to."

Nami yipped in surprise as the blond's hold tightened again, craning her neck to keep the sparking metal from touching her again. "I'm no kid." He forced the words through clenched teeth. "And I've been fighting for over twelve years."

"Twelve, eh?" Zoro shifted his weight, taking a lopsided step forward. "I've had a couple more than that."

Nami couldn't quite suppress a giggle. She stretched her arms a few more inches, and felt the edge of her Clima-Tact brush against her hand.

"Doesn't mean you're stronger than me," the blond said. "And I _am_ stronger than that body you're using."

Zoro shrugged. "Guess we'll see." He took another step.

The blond twitched his right hand forward in response, and Nami moved, seizing her Clima-Tact and ramming it into his stomach before snapping her head back in an attempted headbutt. He twisted out of the way, but it was enough to break his grip. She lost no time in retreating to a safer distance, extending her Clima-Tact to its full length as she turned back to face him.

Zoro, meanwhile, had dived for the fallen baton. He climbed to his feet, unsteady but triumphant, holding the baton in front of him like a sword.

The blond's eyes flicked to Nami for the briefest of moments before refocusing on Zoro. His left arm came up, black with Haki, and then Zoro was sailing through the air, smashing through the doors of an exhibit hall and landing on a display case that exploded in a shower of glass. The baton was nowhere to be seen.

Once again, Nami strangled his name on her lips, the sound escaping as a wordless cry. If the guard was killed, what would happen to Zoro? Would he die, too? Her feet itched to move; whether to check on Zoro, attack the blond, or run, she wasn't sure.

Zoro coughed and stirred, and she relaxed the smallest fraction as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked down as his hand slipped on the glass, and froze for an instant before letting out a quiet chuckle.

Then he was looking at her, and if she hadn't known it was Zoro, she might have been afraid of him, of those glowing eyes scowling through a face streaked with blood.

"What are you doing?" he roared at her. "Leave him to me and get going!"

For one wild moment, she had no idea what he meant. Was he telling her to run away?

No. He was actually sticking to the plan, after a fashion: taking care of the security was his job; stealing the fruit was hers.

She hesitated, reluctant to leave him when he was injured and still not moving that well. She might be able to keep the blond busy long enough for him to adjust. A second look at his glare was all she needed to start retreating backward down the hallway, Clima-Tact held warily in front of her.

But the blond didn't move. He watched her from the corner of his eye, never fully taking his attention from Zoro as she disappeared around the corner.

 

* * *

 

Even after three hundred years as a spirit, Zoro hadn't forgotten the smell of blood.

It was everywhere around him, blotting out the myriad scents that had been assaulting him a moment before. He could almost see it, floating in a red haze in the air, drawn toward him and filling his mouth and nose with every breath.

No.

Not his mouth.

Not his nose.

The body's true owner scrabbled in confused panic at the back of the mental space they currently shared. He was beginning to realize what had happened, if not how or why or by whom.

_What'shappeningWhoareyouGetoutGetoutGETOUT!_

Zoro flinched at the contact.

_I can't. Not yet. I'm sorry._

He drew back, redoubling the mental wall he'd erected between them. He couldn't let the guard share his thoughts, couldn't do anything that would allow the man to guess his identity. It was important to keep the secret safe.

And if it kept Zoro from thinking too much about the other reason for keeping his distance, so much the better.

He drew in a ragged breath and coughed as the metallic tang of blood washed over him again. His own nose hadn't been this sensitive, surely. There wasn't even that much of the stuff. The cuts from the glass case bled sluggishly, none of them deep, so far as he could tell.

Well, he'd known if would be a difficult adjustment. He had no right to whine about it now. Nor did he have the time. Getting this body moving well enough to put up a decent fight was much more important.

He looked up to find the blond advancing on him. The boy's movements were slow and careful. In spite of the impatience visible in every line of his body, he was being cautious.

_Smart kid._

Zoro reached for the objects lying beside him. Luck, it seemed, had come through for him once again. True, there were a large number of weapons in this building. Even so, landing on a display case of swords was indisputably good fortune, especially as he'd started out in the hall. There were only two, both Marine-style cutlasses rather than the katana he preferred, but that was fine. Three swords would have been far too much of a giveaway, and he could hardly call himself the world's greatest swordsman if he couldn't work with whatever blade he held.

He hauled himself to his feet. If he had to use the swords as leverage to do it, at least he wasn't in danger of falling back down once he'd succeeded. His borrowed flesh felt like a suit of lead armor, but with every minute that passed, it became easier to move.

The blond came to a halt the moment Zoro raised the swords.

"If you're scared, I'll let you walk away now," Zoro offered.

_Ooh._ The kid might be young, but he'd already mastered the art of glaring. Grow out that spiky hair a bit, comb it over one eye, and he'd bear a striking resemblance to a certain cook.

"Hardly," the blond snapped. And then he moved.

The guard's eyes clearly weren't as sensitive as his nose. Zoro barely tracked the blur of movement as the blond darted to the left, and his swords were facing entirely the wrong direction when a fist sank into his side.

_Damn these slow reflexes!_ Zoro cursed as he crashed into the far wall. _If I were fighting him as myself—!_

The blond raced forward, closing the distance between them before Zoro could do more than blink. His foot lashed out, catching Zoro in the stomach and robbing him of air. It was immediately followed by a fist to the face, then another kick that drove Zoro straight through the damaged wall.

The sound of shattering glass told Zoro that at least one more display case had met its end. He ignored it. Whatever had been inside didn't matter. The fresh cuts the glass had given him didn't matter. He needed to raise his swords now, before—

Pain exploded from his side as the blond's attack connected, and he was once again flying through the air.

_He's fast, damn it._ Too fast to keep up with on reflexes alone.

_Then I'll just have to counter before he moves. Kid, I am not your punching bag!_ Even as he landed, Zoro raised both swords in a solid block, infusing them with Haki. The next punch sent him reeling to the left, but he kept his arms steady, and the one after that landed directly on the crossed blades. The blow drove him back a few feet, but that was all.

Even as he slid, Zoro flipped the swords blade-forward again and slashed. The blond wasn't quite fast enough to dodge completely, and Zoro's swords came back red. It wasn't a serious wound, but Zoro felt satisfaction. He _could_ touch him. This body would never be as fast as his own, but he had four hundred years of experience to make up for that.

"What's the matter, kid?" He grinned at the boy's stunned expression. "Never taken a hit before?"

The blond's hand had gone to his chest reflexively, pressing against the shallow slash. He dropped it to his side, his glare returning. "It's a bit soon for you to get cocky, old man."

He launched himself at Zoro. All his punches so far had been with his left arm, but now his right whipped forward. Zoro twisted aside. The electrified glove missed him by a hair's-breadth, and he leaped back to avoid the left punch he knew was coming.

The blow caught him in the side and sent him crashing through his second wall of the night.

_The hell?_ Zoro shook his head, attempting to clear the sudden spots from his vision. The movement sent a shower of glass shards from yet another display case tinkling to the floor. _That should have been far enough! Is this body's depth perception off?_

No time to think. He threw himself into a roll, narrowly avoiding a kick, then came to his feet and spun into a slash. He couldn't call it a true pound cannon, but it was enough to give the blond his own taste of the wall.

The blond coughed. He pushed himself away from the wall and took a shaky step forward. "You're not going to beat me with something like that."

"Maybe I'm just softening you up before I get serious."

"Or you're trying to buy your friend more time."

Zoro shrugged, ignoring the pain the movement cost him. "You don't seem to be in a hurry to stop me. Or is this the best you can do with twelve years' experience?"

The blond flushed. "If I went all-out against you, I doubt there'd be a museum left tomorrow. Not that I'd miss it. I'm just not in the habit of making kids cry. Besides, he might make me pay for the damage, and I can think of better ways to throw away my money."

He drew a deep breath. "But I don't need to go that far to beat you." A blur of motion, and he was across the room again. He lashed out with Haki-coated fists, then spun into a low kick that swept Zoro's feet out from under him.

"Maybe the old man was wrong." A second kick smashed Zoro against a pillar. "I was almost convinced when I saw the redhead, but you're too weak to be one of _them_."

Ice trickled down Zoro's back. "What are you"—he coughed—"talking about?" The part of him that had known this was a trap scoffed at how clueless he sounded, but he had to be sure. If this kid _suspected_ , however impossible it seemed…

And if he could get the blond talking, that would give Nami more time to work, without risking more damage to the guard. This body wasn't nearly as durable as his own had been, and his difficulties in moving were due more to injury than unfamiliarity now.

An odd expression crossed the blond's face. It took Zoro a moment to recognize it as hesitation.

"Nothing. Just a fairy tale I should be too old to believe." And with barely a pause for breath, he struck out again.

Zoro was ready. Pushing past the pain in his side—there were definitely some broken ribs there—he rolled away and back to his feet. Amazingly, he hadn't lost his grip on either sword during his encounter with the pillar. His hasty counterattack clipped the blond's shoulder and spun him back.

Like his first hit, it wasn't a serious wound, but it gave Zoro room to work. He followed immediately with the strongest pound cannon his borrowed body could muster.

Hopefully there hadn't been anything terribly important in this area of the museum. The attack took out another two walls, which by Zoro's reckoning made at least five rooms so far that were pretty much ruined.

He walked forward. "You want to know who I am, boy?" Zoro raised a sword to point at the farthest pile of rubble. "I'm someone you can't underestimate in a fight if you want to walk away from it."

A cough. "One good attack won't win you this fight." The rubble shifted, and the blond stood. His jacket gaped with slashes, and his golden hair was patchy with blood. "I'll give you credit, though—it's been a while since anyone made me bleed this much."

"And it's been a while since anyone got up so fast after one of my attacks."

"Then I guess we're both special." The blond picked his way toward the stump of the nearest wall. "That attack was a flying slash, wasn't it? It takes a skilled swordsman to pull off a decent one."

Zoro raised his eyebrows. "Does it?"

The blond shot him a sharp look as he stepped over the remains of the wall. "A swordsman who thinks he's funny, apparently."

Zoro raised his swords into _Nigiri_ stance. "I've been known to be amusing on occasion."

"Well, I'm not laughing." The blond clenched his fist. "I think I've seen enough for today."

_Hirameki._ Zoro's swords flashed, and his opponent made a return trip to the pile of rubble.

In the blink of an eye, the blond bounced to his feet and sprang forward. And it was as if his previous speed had been nothing more than a warm-up. Zoro barely saw the movement, and his borrowed body just couldn't react in time. The blond's right fist came up, Zoro went stiff as the electric current flooded through him—

—and he was looking down from above as the guard's body collapsed to the rubble-strewn floor.

His first reaction was mingled relief and disappointment. It felt wonderfully free to be back in his own body, spirit or not, and to have his head to himself again. The absence of pain was welcome, too. But he'd just started adjusting to being back in a flesh-and-blood body, to the weight and feel and smell of life, and he found he hadn't been quite ready to give it up.

That was a dangerous line of thinking. Zoro shoved it away firmly, letting a more important concern take its place: he was floating above the guard, perfectly visible should the blond raise his head to look. And no sooner had Zoro thought it than the blond did just that.

Instantly, Zoro went invisible, but from the look on the boy's face, it hadn't been fast enough. How much had he seen?

The blond stared at the spot where Zoro had disappeared for several long moments. Then he shook his head and bent over the guard.

"Even if the old bastard's right about you, you're just a bonus. But we'll be seeing each other again, I'm sure. Maybe next time, you'll fight for yourself instead of breaking something that doesn't belong to you." He slung the guard's arm across his shoulder. "Your friend has until I've taken care of this mess of yours. If either of you are still in the museum after that, well…" He shrugged. "Maybe having to pay for this place would be worth it after all."

Zoro let him leave. What choice did he have? To stop him without revealing himself, he'd either have to possess the guard again—and now that he was looking from the outside, he could see just how badly injured the man was—or take the blond himself. The latter was far too risky; Zoro doubted he'd have as much success at keeping his thoughts and identity from the boy.

Besides. One possession was more than enough for one night. Maybe for all the nights.

* * *

He joined Nami just as she was reconnecting the last few anti-theft devices on the fruit's case.

"All that stuff's still shut down, you know."

Nami shrieked and spun around. "Zoro! Don't _do_ that!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Should I have knocked?"

Nami huffed and turned back to the case. "You could have done _something_ besides sneaking up on me like that."

"There's a surveillance den den in here, and it could still be working even if the electrical crap's not. So I'll stay invisible until we're out."

"Did you _really_ manage to shut down the security? Because it sounded more like you set off every alarm in the building."

"Ah…" Zoro rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Damn computer didn't cooperate at first. Got it eventually, though."

"Didn't cooperate…? What exactly did you do?"

"Doesn't matter. I got it, all right?" Zoro was glad Nami couldn't see him right now. He had a strong suspicion he was blushing.

" _Zoro_."

Zoro sighed. "Shut down, blown up, what's the difference? It's off, and it won't be back on any time soon."

" _Blown up_? What the hell did you do to it?"

"Tell you later. Maybe. Anyway, what about you? You weren't even supposed to be inside until it was down."

"I came in because you were taking too long! And the alarms went off right as I got to the fruit room. I got caught because of you!" Nami closed the panel with a click and stepped away from the case. "I knew I should have done this alone."

"If you had, you'd be caught, with no one to help you escape. Or do you really think Blondie only noticed you because of the alarms? He was waiting for you. He expected us to come."

Nami frowned. "You're right. He's probably been waiting here every night since the exhibit opened. Him or someone else."

"Yeah." Zoro glanced at the door. "And speaking of which, he'll be coming back soon. It's time to go."

"What do you mean, 'coming back'? I thought you took care of him!" Nami hurried for the door.

"I did what I could. If you hadn't noticed, I wasn't exactly at my best back there." He looked back at the case. "That fake's not going to fool them for long. They already know we broke in. And that we're after the fruit."

"Usopp went to the trouble of making it; I wasn't going to waste it." She smiled. "You never know—it might take them a while to be sure that we actually took anything. It does look just like the real one, after all."

"Lucky the cook had a fruit the right shape."

Nami slipped out into the hall. "Come on."

 

* * *

 

Nami wasn't really surprised when they ran into four security guards just outside the fruit room. Luffy's source may have said that the museum relied mainly on their electronic security and didn't have a large staff of guards, but there had to be more than the two she'd seen so far—three, counting the blond.

"Hold it right there, miss," one of the guards said. "Hands up, now."

"Sure, no problem." Nami raised her hands. "Wow, you guys are good. I thought I'd see how far I could get, but obviously I'm no match for you. Didn't even make it in the room! Still, no harm done; if you check, you'll see the fruits are all still there, so why don't we just call it your win and go our separate ways?" She winked at them. "I'll even let you escort me out."

"That's not going to happen, lady," said the guard. "You're going to come downstairs with us, and once you've been searched and secured, you're going to tell us exactly how you got in, and what you did to the security system."

"Oh, you mean that little explosion?" Nami smiled at them, resting one hand on her hip, within easy reach of her Clima-Tact. "That was a surprise, even for me. I'd put it down to a ghost in the machine."

There was a muffled snort of laughter from behind her.

"Hands up!" the guard barked again. "Walk this way, slowly."

"Mmm, but I'm just not in a slow mood right now." Nami stepped forward, though her hand remained close to her belt. "Breaking into a museum is kind of a rush, you know? I've got to do something to work off all this energy. Say, do any of you guys know how to dance?"

She was answered by a chorus of clicks and snaps as the guards raised their weapons. Three held electric stun weapons—one a baton like the previous guards had had, the other two compact guns. The remaining guard held a gun that vibrated with something unseen.

Nami skipped lightly to the side as the first bolt of energy snapped through the air. She drew her Clima-Tact in a flash, and the next shots of electricity curved away as she guided them back the way they had come. The guards yelped, one dropping her sparking weapon. Two more slumped, twitching, to the floor.

The thump of a concussive blast filled the room as the fourth guard opened fire. Nami spun out of the way and sent him a blast of wind in return. He flew back, slamming into the disarmed guard. They hit the wall together, hard enough to crack it, and collapsed with matching groans.

"Well, that was fun." Nami returned her Clima-Tact to her belt. "Now let's get out of here before any reinforcements show up."

Zoro was silent the rest of the way out, prompting more than one check as to whether he was still there at all. As they ran across the grounds, however, he mentioned that they should test the fruit for poison before giving it to Robin.

"That was too easy," he said. "I would have expected more guards. And Blondie could have caught up to us if he'd really wanted to."

Nami nodded. "Poison, and anything else we can think of. We should leave the island right away, too, in case they try to send someone after us."

Zoro grunted in agreement. "Chopper's gonna be disappointed he won't get to see the museum."

"Well, we can't very well go back. It won't be hard for those guards to connect me with the 'new employees' hired today—and besides, that blond guy saw Chopper and Brook when you first tried to get tickets."

"True."

"At least he got to see the park, right?"

"Yeah. I think he'd like it better, anyway." He snorted. "Besides, the museum'll probably be closed for repairs for a while."

"I take it you broke more than the one glass case during the fight?"

"Just a bit."

When they were halfway back to the harbor with no sign of pursuit, Nami judged it safe enough to slow to a fast walk. Zoro flickered into view beside her.

"You did good back there," she said. "Well, I mean, not the computer—you obviously screwed that part up completely—but after. That guy was really strong. It can't have been easy dealing with someone like that while doing a possession for the first time."

Zoro was silent for a long moment. "It wasn't my first time."

"What? Who? Did you practice with one of the others?"

"No."

"Then when…?"

"Back on the island." Zoro wasn't looking at her. "I'd rather not talk about it."

She stopped. Reluctantly, he did likewise. "Are you sure? If you're upset—"

"I'm not upset!" Zoro began walking again. "Look, I thought we were supposed to be in a hurry."

"All right." She caught up to him. "You kind of seem like you want to talk about it, so I thought I'd offer, that's all."

The silence this time stretched even longer. Just when Nami was sure he was going to let it drop, however, he spoke.

"It was the first time Sanji showed up after I died."

She stayed silent, sensing that he'd clam up if she interrupted now.

"He was a kid. Ten, maybe. Eleven. I don't know. Back then, I still thought I could _make_ you all remember somehow. I hadn't realized I had to wait for the right time.

"I showed myself to him. He was kinda freaked out at first, but he got over it pretty fast. Kids have an easier time accepting this kind of stuff." He waved a hand at himself. Nami nodded.

"We got talking, and I tried everything I could think of to get him to remember. I was even gonna take him to dig up the box I buried for Luffy. Then I saw it. The way in. Somehow I knew what it was as soon as I saw it, and I thought, if I could show him, if I could go in and _show_ him my memories, maybe that would do it. Maybe I could find him from the inside."

She didn't want to ask, but after they'd passed two buildings in silence, she couldn't stop herself. "What happened?"

"I broke him." Zoro's voice was raspy.

She stopped again. "Broke…?"

Zoro stopped, too. He didn't look at her. "He didn't react to my memories at all, so I went deeper. Everything I found was just a normal little kid, but I was so sure there had to be _something_ , _somewhere_ , that I kept pushing and pushing and then—it was like something snapped. I could almost hear the noise it made. And suddenly that bright little kid wasn't there anymore." Zoro's voice broke, and he took a long, shuddering breath before speaking again

"I saw him once, after that. It was like looking at an empty house. He couldn't talk, couldn't walk—couldn't do anything for himself. I heard he died, not long after.

"I spent the next fifty years convinced I'd ruined everything, that even if the rest of you came back, he never would. Eventually, of course, he did. But it doesn't change the fact that that little kid had a whole lifetime ahead of him before I started meddling. That kid, the person he would have become, died that day. And I killed him." Without waiting for a response, he strode forward again.

"Zoro…" What could she say to something like that? "It's okay"? Clearly, it wasn't. "You didn't mean to"? That didn't change what had happened.

"No wonder you were uncomfortable when we were talking about possession." She knew how he must feel about it, but… "Have you told any of this to Sanji?"

"Of course not."

"You should tell him."

"Yeah, because it's such an easy subject to bring up in casual conversation: 'Hey, by the way, I murdered you once. Forgot to mention it sooner. No hard feelings, right?'"

"He's the one you need to talk to about this," she insisted. "I could find words to say to you. I could tell you it was an accident, that he would have forgiven you, that everything turned out all right for us in the end, but I don't think they'd help you feel better. Because I'm not the one you need to hear them from."

They walked past another building.

Zoro sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'll…think about it."

"Good." She decided it was time for a subject change. "So, you're sure we're not being followed?"

"As sure as I was the last time you asked," Zoro said. "Which means I'm sure."

She nodded. "Let's hope it stays that way."

 

* * *

 

"Why should I just let them go?" Travis asked, glaring at the video screen. He gestured toward the window. "Their ship is still in the harbor—I could catch up to them in minutes!"

" _You will remain at the museum."_

"They've taken the fruit, you know."

" _That's fine."_ Sven smiled, steepling his fingers. _"Devil fruits are far more interesting when they're being used by someone. And I doubt we could find anyone more suitable for a fruit with this sort of history. Don't you agree?"_

Travis's jaw tightened.

Sven continued as though the answer to his question was obvious—and therefore, unnecessary. _"Did you accomplish the mission I set you?"_

With a great effort, Travis turned his back to the window, through which the lights of the harbor were visible. "They managed to disable the security system. Quite spectacularly, I'm told. Fortunately, the independent surveillance I set up was not affected. There are several sections you should find fairly interesting."

" _You were watching?"_

"Of course I was."

" _And you tested them as I instructed?"_

"I would have done that anyway."

" _Hmm. And are you convinced?"_

Almost unconsciously, Travis turned to glance toward the window again. "No." He returned his gaze to the screen. "But I'll play along a little longer before I write you off as crazy, old man."

" _I thought you did that years ago."_

"Crazi _er_ , then."

" _What you think of me doesn't matter, as long as you follow my instructions. Now, is there anything else I should be aware of?"_

He was tempted to "forget" the item, but if there was any chance it would put the old bastard in a good mood…"I have a souvenir for you." He held up a small glass vial. Nestled inside were the hairs he'd taken from…the female intruder. He couldn't make himself think about names. Not yet. He watched Sven's eyes light up as he saw the contents.

" _Is that…?"_

"Yes." He didn't know what the man would do with it. He didn't want to know. A cloning attempt? The centerpiece of a shrine? Both were equally likely.

" _Excellent. Send the video on before you leave. I'll expect you back here by tomorrow evening."_

_Shit._ Travis leaned forward, scowling. "The end of the week would be soon enough, surely. My business on this island—"

" _Is finished. You will leave first thing tomorrow and bring me that vial. Or have you forgotten why I sent you there?"_

Travis's hands clenched on the chair's arms. "To protect your interests," he gritted out.

" _I have just told you my business on Crinia is finished. If you would like me to find a further interest in that island…"_

Travis felt cold. "No."

" _Then you will leave in the morning and be grateful it's not immediately. Send the video tonight. Understood?"_

"Perfectly, _sir_."

After the call ended, he sat for several minutes in the semi-darkness, cursing purple-haired scientists who thought they ruled the world. Finally, he glanced out of the window again. _What should I do, Maya? Would you be angrier if I woke you in the middle of the night, or if I left without saying goodbye?_

 

* * *

 

" _I figured it out." Luffy said._

_Ace straightened, the hand that had been supporting his chin dropping back to his lap. "Figured what out?"_

_Luffy beamed at Ace. "Why you come to see me like this! I knew you were going to come tonight, and I was right!"_

_Ace leaned forward, grinning too. "About time you realized. All right, then: why?"_

_Luffy pointed at him. "You always show up after we find a fruit! Well, except for the first time. But that was when I found Zoro, so it's still important. That means you can tell when something big happens. But if you can do that, then don't wait so long! You should come other times, too."_

_Ace sighed, his posture returning to its original slouch. "Well, if you paid more attention, maybe I would."_

" _Huh?"_

" _Never mind. You'll get there eventually." Ace looked up again, one eyebrow raised. "More importantly, you're not going to keep that, are you?" He nodded at Luffy's head. "You look pretty silly with two hats, you know."_

" _I like it." Luffy reached up to touch the orange replica he'd perched atop his straw hat. "And I wanted to show it to you."_

" _Heh. Nothing beats an original." Ace tapped his own hat. "But yeah, I guess it's not bad. Just…don't wear them at the same time like that, maybe?"_

_Luffy pouted. "How else am I supposed to wear them both? I have to wear Hat, and I only have one head."_

_Ace shook his head. "Well, if anyone can pull it off, you can. So? Which fruit did you get this time?"_

_Luffy looked at him suspiciously. "I thought you'd know already. You knew we found it, so…"_

" _You're the one who assumed I knew that. Anyway, let's say I don't. Which one is it?"_

" _Robin's," Luffy said._

" _Has she eaten it yet?"_

_Luffy shook his head. "Well, we found it, but we don't exactly have it yet. Zoro and Nami are getting it now. I wanted to come, but Nami said I shouldn't. I think she thought I'd be too noisy."_

" _She has a point."_

_Luffy laughed. "It's okay. I had enough of sneaking around at that big base. Except now I'm just waiting, and that's boring." He paused. "Guess I fell asleep."_

_Ace shot him a grin. "Past your bedtime, huh?"_

" _It is not!" Luffy protested. "We just did a lot today. And waiting is boring."_

" _So let's make it less boring. We can have another match while you tell me what you did today that made you so tired."_

_Luffy brightened. "I met you!"_

" _I know that part already, Luffy."_

" _No, I mean I met another you! I liked him 'cause he gave me food. But he wasn't really you, he was just pretending to be. And I was pretending to be me, except I am me, so—"_

_Ace held up a hand. "How about you just start at the beginning?"_


	16. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, hi, remember me? I know it's been a really long time; hopefully some of you are still with me. At least it's still the same year? ^_^; I won't bore you with details about why this took so long—let's just say Real Life sucks and leave it at that.
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who left kudos or commented. You all help keep me going. Also, I now have a beta for this fic! Thank you to the lovely sircerenade. <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

" _Clutch!_ "

The choked screams the men made as they fell were like music to Zoro's ears. Less than two weeks after Robin had gotten her powers back and already things felt more complete. Another piece in the puzzle of their lives had clicked into place.

Every test they could come up with had showed that the fruit was both genuine and not poisoned or altered in any way at all. Chopper had still been worried—most of them had been, whether they'd admitted it or not—but after a week, Robin had decided that she was willing to take what risk might remain. With a smile, she'd told them that they'd just have to avenge her if she died horribly, then ate the fruit with barely a twitch at the disgusting taste.

And as far as any of them could tell, nothing had happened that wasn't supposed to. Robin had lost very little of her skill at manipulating her powers, and Zoro figured that in another few weeks she'd easily be back to her old level of ability.

In fact, all of them were feeling a flush of success today. A large group of pirates had attacked just after lunch; while nothing exceptional for the Grand Line, they were still stronger than most of the people they'd fought so far—and the Straw Hats were winning. Relatively easily, too, and with little help from Zoro. He'd found himself taking a supervisory role in the battle, only stepping in a couple of times when the enemy tried to swarm someone. His friends had grown so much, and it filled him with pride just looking at them.

For the first time, Chopper had managed to take on one of his additional forms without a rumble ball. The high-pitched yells he was currently making were as much from excitement as they were a normal part of his Kung-Fu Point.

Anyone watching Franky would have thought that he'd been using the portals for years, not a mere handful of weeks. Not a single shot got past the swirling abyss of his shield, and a staggering array of weapons were pulled from the portal's depths at lightning speed.

Usopp's aim was as good as ever. The only thing holding him back—physically, at least—had been the lack of his former muscled physique, which limited his range and prevented him from using some of his heavier projectiles effectively. He was still a long way off from having that body again, but there was a noticeable change from the stick-thin boy he'd been a year ago, and it showed in his fighting. His opponents were hard-pressed to get within twenty feet of him.

Brook was incredibly light on his feet today, to the point that Zoro found himself checking more than once to make sure the man hadn't returned to being a living skeleton.

Nami, well…she'd been nearly as good as her past self straight from the beginning, but she was still in fine form. He turned to look at her just in time to see her blast three pirates at once into the ocean with a gust of wind.

A flash of fire caught Zoro's eye as Sanji flew past. This wasn't the first time the cook had pulled off a Diable Jambe since their return, but today he was using it more frequently—and with less effort—than Zoro had seen in a long time. At the rate Sanji was going, Zoro might actually have to start paying attention in their sparring matches again.

Luffy… Even without his rubber powers, Luffy was doing a damn fine job of holding his own, and Zoro loved watching him do it. Not so very long ago, Luffy hadn't been able to do something as simple as explore a forest without being exhausted and possibly sick by the end of it. Now, he was taking down one pirate after another—often using Haki—without appearing to be in any distress. The powerful captain Zoro remembered was reemerging bit by bit, and he couldn't be prouder.

There was just one small cloud on his horizon.

Zoro knew intimately how strong he was now. He knew how easy it was for him to kill rather than injure. But he'd had a long time to learn control. He prided himself on it. He'd been careful to restrain himself since they'd returned to this world. So why were there four bodies lying limp on the deck, and why were his memories of attacking them so hazy and tinged with red?

Zoro shook himself. He'd just been protecting his friends, hadn't he? The pirates had been trying to kill them. It was natural to feel angry at someone who was trying to take away something precious to him. He'd been alone for so long… Catching sight of one of the huddled forms again, his lips pressed into a frown. He wasn't wrong, but…he'd try to have better control in the future.

The morale of the attacking pirates had undergone a dramatic shift. At the beginning they had been full of battle cries and death threats and cocky grins. Now the cries sounded more like terrified screams, the grins had melted away like ice on a hot summer day, and the death threats had turned into frantic begging for their own lives.

_Pathetic._ Zoro didn't care how strong they were—if they fell apart like this every time a fight didn't go their way, he couldn't take them seriously as opponents. He strode forward as the last few pirates dropped their weapons in surrender.

"Are you stupid?" Zoro asked, cutting off one of the men in mid-plea. He swung a gloved hand up to point at the other ship's Jolly Roger. "When you raised that flag, you put your lives on the line. We didn't make that choice for you. If you weren't willing to risk that much, you should never have become pirates in the first place."

"Yes, you're right, of course you're right," the man said. "We understand now, and we'll consider your wise words very carefully before we do anything like this in the future, all right? Please let us go, Captain! We won't learn anything from this if you kill us here."

Behind his mask, Zoro frowned. "I'm not the captain," he said. Did they really think a captain would hang back and watch while sending his men out to fight? Sure, there were reasons for doing that on occasion. They'd done it with Luffy at first, before he'd gotten stronger. These people seemed to take it as standard, though, and in Zoro's opinion, a captain who wasn't willing to lead his crew into battle wasn't worth following.

Zoro pointed at Luffy. "If you want to live so badly, I suggest you try asking him. Careful, though." He let a smirk creep into his voice. "He doesn't have much patience for cowards who can't take responsibility for their own actions."

The man flinched and jerked his head around to stare at Luffy. He licked his lips and attempted to swallow a few times before opening his mouth to speak. "Of course you're the captain, I should have guessed that." He swallowed again, attempting to maintain a steady voice. "We're sorry for attacking you. If—if you'll let us go, you have my word that we won't bother you again."

"Are you the captain?" Luffy asked.

The pirate's eyes flicked to a stocky man sitting in the middle of a quiet huddle several feet away. "No," he said, looking back up at Luffy, "but I can speak for the crew. Spare us, and we'll be gone."

_Probably the first mate, then._ Zoro eyed the stocky man who was almost certainly the other ship's captain. He was doing his best to blend into the group he was with, apparently perfectly fine with allowing his crewmate to take charge. _Coward._

Luffy rubbed his chin. "I dunno, it'd be annoying to have to fight you guys all over again if you changed your mind…"

"We won't!" the first mate assured Luffy. "Whatever you think of us, we're not complete idiots. We wouldn't come back to fight a crew that's clearly much stronger than we are."

_And now he's trying flattery._ The Straw Hats were stronger, certainly, but they were not yet so far ahead that these pirates had no chance of winning a rematch if they were willing to play dirty to get that win. Which, from the looks of them, they probably were.

Luffy's face barely twitched at the words, however, and when he didn't immediately appear to be convinced, the man tried a different tack.

"Of course, we shouldn't expect you to spare us just out of mercy. We're all pirates here, after all." He attempted a shaky laugh. "We have treasure on our ship"—the stocky captain gave a squawk of protest, before hastily covering his mouth and ducking down again—"which you are welcome to take in exchange for our lives."

"Oh?" Nami leaned forward. "How much treasure?"

"At—at least a hundred million," he said. "Mostly in gold."

"Are you sure that's all?" she asked. "One hundred million isn't so much for a crew this size these days." She smiled sweetly at him. "You're not holding out on us, are you?"

"Of—of course not! I…" Nami's smile grew brighter, and the man wilted. "All right, it's more like two hundred. But that's it, I swear! We had more last week, but we spent a lot on the last island."

"What did you buy?" Nami's voice was like honey—honey that was still being guarded by a hive of bees. "Anything we might be interested in?"

"No, no! Mostly food and drink and…that sort of thing. We were celebrating." His eyes widened. "Wait—there is something else we can offer, besides the treasure."

"You mean along with the treasure."

The man nodded his head eagerly. "Yes, of course."

"So?" Zoro took a half step forward, giving the first mate a good view of his swords. "What is it?"

The other pirate licked his lips again. "Well, I—I couldn't help but notice that your crew has a familiar theme." He turned his head to look at Robin. "One of you even seems to be using a devil fruit from the Straw Hat crew."

"Two of us," Luffy said.

The man nodded. "Even better, then. Does that mean you'd be interested in the others?"

"You have a devil fruit on your ship?" Nami whipped her Clima-Tact around to point at him. "One from the pirate king's crew? Why didn't you mention that before?"

"No, no, we don't!" The first mate raised his hands. "We did, though. About a week ago. That's—that's why we were celebrating, you see: we'd never scored so big before."

"What happened to it?" Luffy spoke this time, his voice soft and serious.

"We sold it. I—I can tell you where. We've even got the location stored in one of our log poses."

"Where?" Luffy asked. "Who bought it?"

"You'll let us go?"

"Okay," Luffy said. "As long as you aren't lying."

"And if you give us the treasure, too," Nami added.

The first mate nodded. "We sold it to Driftwares. They're traders. They're very, ah, flexible about where their merchandise comes from, so a lot of pirates in this area do business with them. Their headquarters are on Windwave Island."

"Which fruit is it?" Robin asked. "You knew it belonged to one of the Straw Hats, so you must know its name."

The man nodded again. "Driftwares had a list; they looked it up. It's the one that belonged to that freaky skeleton crewmember."

Across the deck, Zoro could feel Brook go still. Luffy twitched in reaction to the words and Zoro knew what he would be feeling without seeing his expression. He would be happy for Brook, excited that they had found another fruit so soon after the last one, but at the same time, this meant that Luffy would be the last of the crew to get his powers back. For someone who wanted to be strong and protect his friends, that had to hurt just a little.

"The Yomi-Yomi no Mi?" Robin said, carefully not looking at Brook. "I see. Thank you."

"Now, if you'll be so kind as to show us to the treasure," Nami said, "we can conclude our business and send you on your way."

 

* * *

 

The other pirates had not traveled in anything like a direct course from Windwave Island, so rather than the expected week, it took the Straw Hats only three days to get there, following the log pose they had been given. It was a bleak little island with very few trees, its shores rocky and buffeted by waves and wind. The houses they could see looked fairly rocky, too, and equally weathered.

"Doesn't seem like a great place for a popular trading post," Usopp commented.

"But it's also not the sort of place to have a strong government presence," Robin said, "which is exactly what makes it so perfect for this kind of business."

Franky stayed with Sunny this time, and Usopp had somehow managed to talk his way into remaining on board as well. He attempted to get Robin or Sanji to stay—he knew better than to try with Zoro, Luffy, or Brook—but they flatly refused. He was just starting on Chopper when Luffy grabbed the reindeer and leaped for the shore.

"Don't worry, Usopp." Luffy grinned at him. "We'll be back soon with Brook's fruit. It'll be fine!"

"He shouldn't have said that," Usopp moaned as he watched his friends walk away. "Now something's definitely going to go wrong."

 

* * *

 

The port had looked like little more than a ghost town from the outside. Further in, however, signs of habitation became more apparent, and after ten minutes of walking, they were in the middle of a crowded marketplace.

The houses here also appeared worn, but they were cleaner and less battered than the buildings near the sea, and there was greater variety in construction materials. Wood especially seemed to be a point of pride, as if the inhabitants were showing off their ability to import enough of the stuff to make an entire building.

_Only thing is,_ Zoro thought, _so many of them have done it by now that it's not all that special anymore._ Most likely, someone would eventually find a new, rarer, material to use, and then that would be the big thing for the next few decades.

_I'm thinking about decades the way most people would think about years,_ he thought. _When did that happen? Will I think the same thing about centuries a few hundred years from now?_ The question brought with it other thoughts, thoughts that he had—successfully, for the most part—been trying to ignore up to that point. Where would he be in a hundred years? Or two hundred? He was already over four hundred years old, and barring any unfortunate encounters, he would be here another four hundred, and four hundred after that.

But Luffy and the others were mortal. Even if they lived the long lives that had been denied them the first time around, they would eventually pass on. What would he do then? Would they come back again? If so, he'd wait for them, however long it took. Even if they never remembered in their new lives, he'd be there for them.

If this lifetime was their last time together, though… Could he really go on existing for century after century, never seeing his friends again? Would he want to?

Zoro growled, pushing away a sudden image of himself jumping into the sea, floating in the water as the burning tingle mounted and the salt slowly tore apart his essence. _Focus, damn it,_ he told himself. _That's not the kind of thing you worry about before you need to._

"Zoro?"

He looked down to see Chopper trotting beside him, upturned face worried.

"Are you okay?" Chopper asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Zoro reached down to give the reindeer a reassuring pat. "Just thinking."

It didn't take long to get directions to Driftwares, though Zoro noticed that the people nearby started looking at them differently after Nami mentioned the name. Some gave them a wider berth, as if attempting to avoid trouble, while others seemed to be sizing them up—whether as potential customers or to see if they were worth robbing, Zoro wasn't sure. Casually, he let one hand drop to his swords. Fights in crowds were annoying. There tended to be a lot more innocent bystanders to watch out for. Better to appear threatening and try to scare them off, though the people here looked to be experienced in getting out of the way quickly if something did start.

He hoped they were, because as they drew closer to the traders' building Zoro sensed several people drawing closer, forming a rough circle around them. They didn't feel friendly, and when he caught a glimpse of one down an alley Zoro saw that they were heavily armed.

"Trouble coming," he murmured.

Luffy and Sanji had clearly noticed something as well, even if they couldn't pick the exact locations out of a crowd as precisely as Zoro could. "They're strong," Luffy said quietly.

Zoro hummed in agreement. From the feel of them, these people could have beaten the pirates from the other day as easily as the Straw Hats had. It was possible this was just a precaution on Driftwares' part, some sort of guard to keep guests in line during their visit. If it wasn't, though, Zoro wouldn't be standing back to supervise this time.

The street opened onto a wide square. At the far end was a large building that had to be Driftwares' headquarters. The Straw Hats had nearly reached the gate when their shadows finally made their presence known.

"A moment, please." A dark-skinned man glided out from a niche in the high stone wall surrounding the building. The armor he wore was liberally studded with spikes, and Zoro mentally dubbed him "Porcupine" after one glance. A heavy, wicked looking sword hung at his left hip, while the right bore a holstered laser weapon similar to the ones they'd seen Greysaber's soldiers using. "We need to have a little chat about your intentions before you proceed further."

Around them, the rest of their pursuers were slipping into view. Thirty, counting Porcupine. All strong, and all alert and ready for a fight, despite the bored or cheerful faces Zoro could pick out on several of them.

"We're here on business." Robin gave the man a smooth smile. "We're interested in an item that was recently acquired by Driftwares. I assure you that we are willing and able to pay, should the item in question suit our needs."

Porcupine returned the smile. It didn't look as genuine as Robin's had. "We're aware."

"How—" Nami said, then understanding broke across her face. "Those pirates contacted you and told you we'd be coming, didn't they?"

"Indeed," he said. "They're good suppliers, you see, and we can't have people attacking our trading partners, then coming here to do business like it was nothing. Wouldn't set a good example. Our suppliers need to know that it's worth dealing with us exclusively."

"They attacked us first!" Luffy said.

Porcupine ran a finger along his sword's hilt. "Well, they _are_ pirates, you know. Comes with the territory."

"And so are we," Zoro said. "We defeated them fairly in battle. Not our fault they couldn't measure up."

"True enough," the other admitted. "But it's our general policy not to do business with those who damage our profit margins, I'm afraid. You'll have to go elsewhere for your goods."

"We can't do that!" Chopper's shout echoed around the square, and Zoro noticed for the first time that they were drawing a crowd. The noise of the marketplace had died down considerably, and curious faces turned in their direction.

"We _can't_ go somewhere else." Chopper's voice was quieter now, though the intensity hadn't changed. "Because what we need is a devil fruit. And it has to be that one!"

"Ah yes, they mentioned that." Porcupine raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately, you don't have a right to the fruit just because you've gone a little farther than most in your attempt to imitate the Straw Hat crew. I congratulate you on acquiring two of their abilities, but your quest ends here."

"But—" Luffy began.

Porcupine shook his head. "We might have been willing to overlook the actions that led you to us. It would have cost you, but even forgiveness can be bought here for the right price. However, that particular item has already been purchased. It will be out of our hands by the end of the day. And it should be common sense that anyone who wishes to remain in good standing with the business community does not back out of a deal once it's been made."

"Who bought it?" Nami asked. "If we could talk to them—"

"I'm afraid that's not an option. The person in question is quite busy and likes their privacy. They will not be coming here personally, and we won't contact them for you. Nor do I think they would sell."

Zoro readied himself to draw his swords, mentally lining up targets. There was no question of leaving without the fruit, and if it was being handed over today, they couldn't wait and try to sneak in at night as they had at the museum. Should he start with the leader? Or maybe the blue-haired man a few places to his right, wearing an obnoxiously yellow jumpsuit and an unstable smile?

Luffy's face darkened. "We're not leaving without it."

"Yes, you are." The conversational tone had faded from Porcupine's voice. "I'll give you one chance to turn around and leave."

"Feel free to refuse!" The blue-haired man tapped the handle of a long whip against his shoulder. "It's been a long time since I really got to tear into someone."

"Well, that's your own fault, isn't it?" a woman to his left shot back. Her golden armor glittered even in the weak sunlight, throwing bloody highlights onto the crimson leather she wore beneath it. One hand played with a long ponytail of blonde-streaked red hair. "If you hadn't paraded your skills in front of the boss like that, you'd still be out making runs instead of protecting headquarters."

"Ah, true, true." He let the tail of the whip fall free with a snap. Sparks of blue-white electricity ran along its length. "Didn't mean to impress her quite that much. Guess I'm just too good for my own good."

"Corn, Dalla, enough." Porcupine held up a hand, looking back to Luffy. "As you can see, my associates are a little overexcited. I suggest you go. Now."

Luffy's eyes shifted, taking in his friends' expressions without removing his attention from the man in front of him. _We_ _'re doing_ _this,_ his look said. _It's going to be hard, but that's never stopped us before. Being sneaky won't work this time._

Zoro gave him the tiniest of nods. Around him, he could feel the others tensing.

Luffy didn't bother to refuse the offer verbally. He let his fist do the talking as he sprang forward with a yell, aiming directly for Porcupine's face. The attack was expected, though, and Porcupine dodged easily, drawing the heavy sword as he did. Luffy ducked his first swing, and caught the next on a Haki-blackened arm.

Zoro beat down the sudden impulse to help. There were twenty-nine other opponents to worry about, all of similar strength, and Luffy wouldn't thank him for interfering in a fight he wasn't currently losing.

_You have to trust them,_ he reminded himself. _And you have to trust yourself, too. Trust that if they_ do _need you, you'll see it. You'll be there._

_I will. And I won't let these people take what's mine._ He whirled, drawing Shūsui and Kitetsu and striking down a heavyset man who had been about to attack Chopper from behind. _Any of them._

He wasn't playing this time, wasn't in this fight to relieve his boredom or test his skills. He wanted to take these people out as fast as he could. Sanji seemed to be holding his own, at least so far, but the others were having more difficulty.

Nami was fighting the red-and-gold woman. Dalla had moved in close, too close for most of Nami's weather techniques to be effective, and was slashing at her with twin sets of wickedly sharp blades attached to her fingers, which Nami barely managed to block with her Clima-Tact. A thin line of blood dripped down her arm.

Nami's blood seemed to pool before him, filling his sight with red. The only thing stopping him from obliterating the woman where she stood was Nami's proximity to her. Growling, he sent a Pound Cannon at a man several feet away, at just the right angle to send him crashing into Dalla. She flew backward, and by the time she had regained her feet, Nami already had a thundercloud brewing in the sky above.

Zoro blinked and the red receded from his vision. _Stay in control_ , he reminded himself. Nami's wound wasn't serious. He could trust her to handle things from there. Turning, Zoro brought his swords up to meet three men who had decided to rush him together. Five more fell into a circle around him. Apparently, they'd decided he was the biggest threat. _Smart people._ He smiled grimly behind his mask. _And this is just the way I want it._

Slash. Spin. Leap. One on his right. Gone. Two to his left. Gone. Three ahead…how many had fallen? Not enough. Not yet. He couldn't use his biggest attacks, not in this crowded square with all his friends in range. So he had to get rid of the enemy a few at a time. Make his attacks smaller. More focused. Take them out with precision. He didn't bother calling out his attacks—they came too quickly, and he'd lost the habit in their efforts to stay hidden.

Zoro dodged around Sanji—the cook was on his third opponent now, not bad—and cut down one of two men attacking Brook. He'd leave the other—the musician had a small but definite edge over the man's sword skills. He'd be all right. Zoro was here to keep his friends safe, not fight all their battles for them. He had to remember that.

His next opponent managed to withstand two of Zoro's attacks before finally crumpling from a third, fiercer one. Zoro allowed himself a disappointed huff as he moved on—that one would have been fun to fight under less urgent circumstances.

Slash. Dodge. Whirl. Zoro was sure he'd be sweating, if he'd still had a body that possessed that function. The enemy's numbers were dropping steadily. No more than half of the thirty remained standing, by Zoro's reckoning. He could hear calls for reinforcements in the distance and gritted his teeth as he sensed a number of other presences moving toward the square. They needed to finish this. Now.

A high-pitched yell caught his attention. Chopper had drifted almost to the other side of the square, trying to fend off three at once. He wasn't doing that badly. Fur floated in the air from where they'd cut him, and Zoro could see a few burnt patches, but the yell had been a battle cry, not a plea for help, and Chopper's injuries didn't seem to be hindering him. But he wasn't winning, either.

Zoro leaped forward. A matched pair of fighters (twins?) moved into his path. He flattened them with a slash, barely sparing them a glance as he rushed by.

He reached Chopper at the same time as two more of the enemy—a tall woman and a round, hard-muscled little man. The woman held bladed discs that crackled with energy. With a flick of her wrists, she sent one spinning toward Chopper while the other curved to meet Zoro. A quick twist of a blade and the disc was knocked aside, its new path leading it straight into the sword arm of one of Chopper's attackers. The man fell with a scream as the disc discharged its energy and blood spurted from the wound.

The other disc caught the edge of Chopper's fur, but he had ducked an instant before to avoid the spiked head of a flail, and it failed to connect with his body. With another furious yell Chopper sprang up, slamming a hoof into the flail-wielder's chin. The man crashed to the ground and Chopper turned to face the small muscled man, leaving Zoro with the woman and a slippery-looking man with hair the color of swamp water.

He could see worry in their expressions as they faced him. Good. It was finally beginning to dawn on them that they just might lose this fight. Now, how would they react? Were they the type that became fiercer when backed into a corner, or did they take after their pirate allies, giving up at the first gust of an unfavorable wind?

_The first,_ he decided, as three more discs came flying at him, along with a sickly yellow-green jet of—was that _acid_? Zoro dodged back. He wasn't about to risk his swords getting hit with that.

Swamp-man summoned up a leering grin and rushed forward, clearly thinking he'd put Zoro on the run. Zoro snorted. Leaping back again to give himself some distance, he unleashed another Pound Cannon, aiming it to catch both Swamp-man and the disc woman with one strike.

After a quick check to be sure they weren't going to be getting back up anytime soon, Zoro glanced around to take stock of the rest of the battle.

And felt the world drop out from under him.

Luffy was still near the traders' front gate, far across the square. He was fighting Porcupine, one Armament-covered hand struggling to push away the sword—but the blue-haired maniac was there, too, with Luffy's other arm ensnared by his electrified whip. And from behind—

He must have misjudged the distance somehow, here on the other side of the square, misjudged the time it would take them to reach the battle. The reinforcements had arrived, and two of them were right behind Luffy, blades already swinging down at his unprotected back.

Even if Luffy knew they were there, there was no way he could move in time.

So Zoro moved for him.

He didn't remember making the decision. There was nothing to decide. Luffy was in trouble. Zoro needed to be there. And so he was.

Later, Nami would remind him that he could have used telekinesis, could have thrown the men away from Luffy, or pulled Luffy from them. But that was still a new power to him; he had to think to use it. He'd been teleporting for centuries. It came as naturally as breathing once had.

He appeared behind Luffy, arms snapping up into a defensive block as he pulled himself into tangibility. The two blades sank into his translucent flesh, and he quickly used Haki to stop them from cutting further.

The next few seconds seemed to stretch for years. The two men in front of Zoro blinked in confusion, not processing anything beyond the fact that their strikes had not connected with their intended target, and that there was _something_ between them and that target that hadn't been there before.

Behind Zoro, the sounds of struggle grew quiet.

He heard Luffy take a careful breath.

The men's eyes widened. They began to pull back.

Zoro straightened. Behind him, he heard the clang of metal as Luffy smacked Porcupine's sword aside and leaped forward, followed by a yelp from the whip-wielder.

Zoro grinned at the men in front of him: a ferocious grin, devoid of humor, that stole the color from their faces and sent them stumbling backward.

" _Mutōryū._ " The word escaped him in a guttural snarl as his hands curled around imaginary swords. These people had tried to kill Luffy. They had nearly taken away a precious treasure he had waited _four hundred years_ to get back. They wouldn't get another chance.

" _TATSUMAKI!_ "

They didn't scream as they flew. Perhaps they had enough discipline to keep their voices under control. Perhaps they were a little slow on the uptake, so they hadn't yet realized what was happening. Or perhaps they couldn't draw breath to make a sound under the crushing pressure of the attack.

The twister sent them crashing into Driftwares' building, demolishing the gate in the process. Zoro sent the crumpled figures a final glare before turning to check on Luffy.

His captain was breathing hard. Blood dripped from a gash on his shoulder as well as several smaller cuts, and Zoro could see marks where the electrified whip had touched him—marks that seemed incongruous against skin that should have been rubber. But he could also see Luffy's smile. He saw the fire in his eyes, and the steadiness in his limbs. There was no danger of an imminent collapse. The red at the corners of Zoro's vision didn't encroach further.

He became aware for the first time how quiet the square had gone. How they had all noticed what had happened, spread out as they were, he wasn't sure, but the fighting had died down, and friend, foe, and onlooker alike were staring at the scene. At _him_.

"Zoro!"

He turned toward Chopper's shout just in time to see his swords launched into the air. There was no chance of them covering the distance of the entire square with only Chopper's strength behind the throw, but this time Zoro had a chance to think, if only for a few seconds. The swords halted mid-fall before zooming up and across the remaining space to land solidly in his hands. He slid them smoothly into place at his side, then turned to face Porcupine, Corn the whip man, and the rest of the reinforcements alongside Luffy.

"Thanks," Luffy murmured.

"Anytime, Captain."

The battle had not yet resumed, but the square was no longer quiet. A rising tide of whispers pressed against his ears. He could see people pointing, people backing away, people edging nearer for a closer look. The voices grew louder, and he began to make out words.

"What is that?"

"It came out of nowhere!"

"Is he a devil fruit user?"

"Did you see what happened to those men?"

"It's a demon!"

"Those swords, they just _flew_ through the air!"

"I can see straight through him!"

"Is it the spirit of the island?"

"Then why is it helping the foreigners?"

"It's a fruit, right? It has to be a devil fruit!"

"That face… I've seen it before, somewhere…"

From the back of the crowd, a flat object hurtled upward. It broke apart in midair, becoming dozens of sheets of paper that fluttered down into the crowd. One, caught by a gust of wind, sailed in his direction. Zoro snagged it with a thought and found himself staring at his own face. It was a copy of an old news article, with every Straw Hat's name and image printed clearly on the paper.

The noise had ebbed away during the papers' flight, but like any other tide, it wasn't long before the voices began to return—and this time, Zoro could hear his name.

"—has to be a joke, right?"

"But that furry one called him Zoro!"

"Wait, as in…?"

"That's not possible!"

"He has three swords!"

"So what? Lots of people try to imitate that style!"

"He wasn't even using all three. Has to be a trick."

"His face, though. Look at this! He looks just like him!"

"The others, too, look! I've never seen imposters that close before!"

"It's called makeup, genius."

"Are the rest of them going to go all see-through and glowy, too?"

"What if they're really…?"

"Don't be stupid. The Straw Hats died hundreds of years ago!"

"But no one ever found the bodies!"

"They could be descendants…"

"Time travel. It's gotta be time travel!"

"Boy."

The word was not shouted, but it carried across the square and swept away the voices. Zoro swung around. Porcupine's attention seemed to be focused on Luffy, but his eyes gave him away with involuntary flicks in Zoro's direction.

"Consider my curiosity aroused," Porcupine said. "You fight well, for someone who appears so young. Your companions are both strange and strangely loyal. Tell me why you want that fruit so badly. Who are you?"

Luffy went still. The crowd followed suit. The square became so quiet that a single cough would have felt like a gunshot.

Luffy half-turned, his eyes meeting Zoro's. He didn't speak. For this conversation, words were not necessary to communicate meaning.

_I don't want to lie any more._

Something in Zoro twinged. This would put his friends in more danger. _You know what that will bring. Are you ready?_

_I'm strong enough now. I'm ready._

And suddenly, Zoro was ready, too. It would bring more danger, but it would also free Zoro to use all his skills to protect them. And his friends _were_ strong. Stronger, perhaps, than he wanted to admit. _Then tell them._

_It's okay if they know about you?_

_This was always going to happen. I'm ready._

A final nod, together.

_Enough hiding._

Luffy turned back to Porcupine.

"I—I know what you're thinking," Nami's voice, slightly panicked, cut across the square, "but there's a simple explanation! I know what we look like, but we're really just—"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy," Luffy said brightly. "And I'm the man who became King of the Pirates."

Nami stuttered to a halt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you'd like me to leave you there for another nine months. Anyone? :P Seriously, though, I'll try not to take so long next time. It'll still probably be a while, but I haven't given up on this fic. If you're curious, you may be able to get some idea of when the next chapter's likely to be posted by checking my tumblr (same UN as here).
> 
> Thanks for reading, whether you stuck with me through the break, found this story when it hadn't been updated for months, or are reading it for the first time now. I appreciate you all. <3


	17. Legendary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have liked to have this out by Christmas, but things were busy and I'm slow. :P At least the wait was shorter this time?
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who commented and/or left kudos! And thank you to sircerenade for your great help in betaing this chapter. ^_^

Porcupine raised an eyebrow. "You expect us to believe that you're a legendary pirate who died centuries ago?"

"I didn't die!" Luffy paused. "Wait… I mean, I did, but not here. There was an old man with a portal, and we went to this other world that was kind of cool but it didn't like us very much. And we tried to get home but we didn't make it in time, so we did die, but then we came back. Oh, except Zoro. He didn't need a new body, 'cause he just stayed as a spirit instead."

"'Came back'? 'New body'?" Corn rolled his eyes. His whip flickered over the ground. "That sounds a hell of a lot like you're trying to claim reincarnation. Can't you guys at least find a new way to tie yourselves to famous dead people?"

"Huh?"

"I'll bet you think you're being original, don't you? Kid, there's an entire magazine focused on printing this stuff." Corn put on a high, mocking voice. "'My brother is the reincarnation of a marine admiral!' 'I'm being possessed by the spirit of Straw Hat Luffy's best friend!' 'I'm a member of the Whitebeard Pirates; I was pulled here by a time machine!' 'My ancestor was an executive in the Revolutionary Army! We have secret journals that tell the _real_ story!' It's good for a laugh, but nobody takes it seriously.

"I'll admit you've got the look down, and whatever devil fruit or fancy technology you're using to make your friend here look like a ghost is pretty impressive, but take it from a professional—if you need to depend on tricks like those to make your way, you won't last long in this business." He rested his whip on one shoulder, looking at Luffy as one might look at a child who had shown up to his first fight with a toy popgun.

The crowd wasn't as assured. Though there was no shortage of snickers, scornful looks, and indulgent smiles, Zoro could also see doubt, shock, wonder, and fear on more than a few faces. The whispering was a constant buzz in his ears, most of the words too low to make out.

With practiced moves, Zoro tied his bandana around his head, before drawing Shūsui and Kitetsu. It felt good to have it there. He had missed it while he'd been hiding behind that mask and hood.

"Shall we put it to the test?" Porcupine swung his sword up to point at Luffy. "If you really are who you say you are, then you will not lose here. Win, and perhaps I'll consider believing you."

"Okay." Luffy shifted, his attention moving to Zoro though his eyes remained fixed on his opponent. "Zoro, don't get in the way. I'm going to beat this guy on my own."

Red flickered at the corners of Zoro's vision, urging him to refuse, to cut down Porcupine and Corn and every last one of the enemies who wanted to hurt his friends. But the situation was not yet so dire that he would risk breaking his captain's trust. "All right." Zoro swept his gaze around the square, giving Corn a particularly meaningful glare. "But that also goes for the rest of you. Make one move to interfere"—he slid Wadō from its sheath—"and you'll find out firsthand how real I am." He bit down on the white hilt. For the first time in nearly four hundred years, Roronoa Zoro wielded three swords in battle.

Corn laughed. "I'm not afraid to fight you, 'ghost'." His whip curled and writhed like a living thing as it prepared to reach for Zoro. "Any idiot with enough jaw strength can run around with a sword in his mouth. It doesn't make you a legend."

"And having a big mouth doesn't make you right." Zoro grinned around the hilt. "So why don't you come try me?"

In answer, the whip snapped up, showering blue-white sparks into the air. Zoro caught it on Kitetsu's blade. His grin widened at the look of confusion on Corn's face when the electricity failed to affect him.

Except…that wasn't entirely true. It _was_ affecting him. He could feel it running through his essence; however, rather than harming him, it seemed to be revitalizing him. The pressure of holding himself in solidity dwindled almost to nonexistence.

"Thanks," he said. His eye caught the dance of silver light on his blades. He was glowing more strongly now, just like when he'd been hurt, but this didn't feel bad. It felt _powerful_. "I appreciate the energy donation."

To his credit, Corn didn't stay stunned for long. With a jab at the whip's handle, the electricity was replaced by rows of narrow, thorn-like blades. Steel grated on steel as he pulled the whip off the sword and sent it snaking toward Zoro for the second time.

Once again, Zoro raised Kitetsu to meet it, but this time he let the cursed sword bite back. Corn was left with a few feet of cord dangling limply from the handle, while the majority of the whip fell to the ground with a thump and a clatter of metal.

"Let me tell you something," Zoro said.

Corn threw aside the whip's handle and slid one hand behind his back. No doubt he had another weapon there, but he didn't draw immediately, perhaps hoping Zoro's moves would be less sure if he didn't know the threat he faced.

"I don't much care for 'professionals' who are in this business just to kill people. There's nothing admirable in interfering with another man's fight in order to overwhelm the opponent so they can be cut down like an animal. If you're afraid to face someone as an equal, you should stay home."

"Taking the noble route gets in the way of business." Corn shifted his weight. "A real professional gets the job done any way he can."

"Spoken like someone who isn't strong enough to choose their path."

Corn's expression darkened and he threw himself forward, a curved blade in his hand. Zoro was ready. His strike shattered Corn's sword, the pieces mixing with Corn's blood to form a grisly rain that peppered the ground as the man fell. He didn't stir.

"Did you kill him?"

Zoro turned. In spite of her words, the woman approaching him didn't appear very concerned for Corn's fate. Her gaze was fixed on Zoro, lavender eyes alight with interest. Her pale blue hair and silver armor blended into the gray square and cloudy sky, making her appear almost as insubstantial as Zoro himself. But Zoro's eyes were drawn to her hip, where a katana rested in a dark blue sheath.

"I thought about it," he said. "Decided not to. Could be a good lesson for him."

She laughed. "I doubt he'll take anything from this encounter except a greater desire to cut you to ribbons."

"Maybe," Zoro allowed. "But I've learned to believe in second chances."

"Well, if anyone could knock some sense into his head, why shouldn't it be the greatest swordsman who ever lived?"

"Oh?" He lifted a brow. "So you believe us, then?"

She raised one shoulder in a casual shrug. "It doesn't really matter to me whether you're telling the truth or not. You're not lying about your strength. I wouldn't be worthy of this sword if I walked away from a challenge." She drew her blade. "And if it is true, and I passed up a chance to fight Roronoa Zoro, I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

Zoro grinned at her. It wasn't the first time he'd taken on the role Mihawk had once played for him, but he'd forgotten how nostalgic it could be. And he suspected that this woman was more skilled than he had been in his first reckless challenge. This could be fun. But could he allow himself to indulge in fun right now? He took a swift look around. The rest of their enemies were keeping clear of Luffy's fight. None of his friends appeared to be in serious trouble.

Maybe just for a short while, then. Zoro turned to her. "What's your name, girl?"

She raised her sword. "Chidori."

"Let's see if you can make me remember it."

 

* * *

 

"Your mistake was agreeing to fight me alone."

Luffy gritted his teeth. He'd known taking down Cactus would be difficult when he'd told Zoro to stay out of it. He'd already experienced the man's devil fruit ability firsthand, and it was made to dominate a single opponent. If Luffy had had even one other person fighting with him, things would be much easier. But if he couldn't win on his own, how could he continue to use the name he'd openly reclaimed in front of all these people just a few minutes ago?

Besides, he'd never been inclined to take the easy way out.

"Even alone, though, I would have expected more from a pirate king." Cactus paced a slow circle around Luffy. "You'll have to do more than stand there and stare at the ground if you expect me to believe you."

"I don't care if you believe me," Luffy said. "You can think whatever you want. I'm going to beat you and take Brook's fruit."

"You won't do it like this."

Luffy took a deep breath. _He has to touch me before he can use his power._ Charging at Cactus when an attack was expected would be stupid. He wouldn't fall for such an obvious trap this time. But what was he going to do? Fighting alone, a long-range attack with a weapon would give him the highest chance of success, but he had no weapon. Speed was his best option, he decided. Hit him hard and fast, and take him out before that annoying power could complicate things. Cactus wasn't slow, but his armor and heavy sword gave Luffy an edge.

"Your friends are doing better than you are. They've taken out a considerable number of my men. Perhaps I'll pay them a visit while you're thinking. I can't take much longer to get this wrapped up, or I might be accused of incompetence."

"Stay away from them! You're fighting me!" Luffy launched himself at Cactus. Even as he did it, he knew it was no good: such an obvious attack lacked any element of surprise. His fist met the flat of Cactus's sword and he pushed against it, trying to put space between them again.

Cactus followed, maintaining the close range as he swung his sword at Luffy. Luffy ducked and sidestepped. The sword, his footing, and especially Cactus's hands—there was too much to watch all at once, and he didn't know how long he could keep it up.

He managed for a while, but then his foot wobbled on a stone at the same moment that Cactus swept his sword up for a high strike. Focused on staying upright and dodging the blade, Luffy was too slow to avoid the hand that shot toward him. Fingers wrapped around his wrist, and the world went black.

_Damn it!_ Luffy jerked free and flung himself backward, trying not to stumble. He would be fighting blind now, and without Observation Haki, that might have cost him the battle. Even with Haki, though, things wouldn't be easy. Now that Cactus had touched him, he could take away more senses whenever he wanted. Though if he did… Luffy thought back over what he'd learned about Cactus's power during the first round of their fight.

" _C'mon, boss, you're not going to stop at one, are you?" Corn's voice was bordering on a whine, and though Luffy could no longer see him, he pictured a childish pout on the man's face. "It's been way too long since I got to see someone stumbling around like a drunk idiot on stilts."_

" _You see drunk idiots every night at the bar." Cactus spoke in a clipped tone. "When you aren't too drunk yourself to look around you."_

_Corn's whine turned derisive. "Don't tell me you think you need the extra time! Sure, the power'll wear off faster, but you could take three or four senses and still have a couple minutes to work with. Hell, I could beat him that fast. If you're not up to it—"_

" _Corn." Cactus's voice was coated in ice._

" _I'm just saying it's been a while since we got to cut loose! How often do we have anything_ interesting _to do on this muddy rock? You don't even have to take 'em all, you could—"_

" _Enough!" The ice had become lava, but however angry Cactus was with Corn, he must have decided to humor him, because in the same breath Luffy's world went silent, and only his Haki prevented him from being cut down by Cactus's next attack._

A longer fight with a single handicap, or a shorter one with a large disadvantage. Luffy wasn't sure which to hope for.

A flicker from his Haki. Luffy raised an Armament-covered arm to block Cactus's sword. He wasn't braced as well as he should have been, and the blow sent him skidding sideways. He hissed in pain as his shoulder caught a stray laser blast. This crowded square was one of the worst places to be fighting without use of his eyes. And any moment now, he'd lose another sense. He could feel it coming. Taking his sight alone wouldn't be enough to win Cactus the fight, and they both knew it. What would go next? Not taste or smell—they wouldn't give Cactus enough of an advantage to be worth shortening the time limit. It could be touch—not being able to feel the thing you were hitting made it much harder to be sure you were actually hitting it. But taking out his hearing would be an even bigger handicap, leaving him more dependent on his Haki, and he had a feeling Cactus would go for that again.

A moment later, Cactus proved him right. Only this time, instead of disappearing, the sounds around him magnified to an earsplitting cacophony of noise that sent him crashing to his knees with a scream. His hands rose of their own accord to clamp themselves over his ears.

"Weren't expecting that, were you?" The voice thundered in Luffy's ears as if Cactus were shouting the words from an inch away. "I can enhance senses as well as remove them. Useful trick, wouldn't you say?"

Luffy didn't answer. Everything he had was focused on trying to function through the noise. He heard Cactus move and twisted away, rolling across the ground. With a tortuous shriek, the sword scraped against the stone where he'd been a second before.

Too loud. Too much. The nearby sounds were almost deafening him, and those from farther away were overflowing in the background. Screams, taunts, grunts and moans, the clang of metal and thuds of flesh hitting flesh, layer upon layer of babble and noise that would have had him screaming if it would have done anything other than add to his pain.

_Don't try to listen to all of it_. There was only so much he could do about the volume, but he could at least try to tune out some of the unnecessary sounds. The frantic thump of his heart echoed in his ears, and he focused on the beat, letting the rhythm settle into him. Let go of the harsh, ragged gasps of his breathing. Ignore the clashing weapons, the cries and shouts. Pass over the creak of leather and the sound of tearing cloth. Block out the sound of footsteps approaching him—no, wait. Those shouldn't be ignored.

Luffy scrambled away, but this time he wasn't fast enough to avoid the attack entirely. The sword bit into his side, and the pain from the wound mingled with the pain in his ears as he cried out. _You can't let it stop you._ Luffy staggered to his feet.

He'd thought about waiting out the time limit—after the power wore off, Cactus wouldn't be able to use it again right away. But having to deal with increased senses as well as blocked ones made things more difficult. He was already having trouble handling the noise; what if Cactus increased his sense of touch to the point that simply walking caused him agonizing pain? No, time was not on his side—and besides, this was starting to feel too much like running away.

"Screw waiting," Luffy muttered. He wrapped one arm around his head, covering both ears as best he could, then raised the other to his mouth. Biting down on the sleeve of his cardigan, he pulled. The cloth parted with a deafening rip, and he was left with half his sleeve dangling from his teeth. He tore it in half again, then wadded up the cloth and stuffed the pieces as far into his ears as he could.

Hesitantly, Luffy lowered his hands. The sounds around him were still uncomfortably loud, but it didn't feel as much like the entire world was trying to stuff itself inside his head anymore. He gave a nod and shuffled his position to face the spot where he knew Cactus stood, raising his fists and settling into a fighting stance as he moved.

"Clever," Cactus said. "But don't think that means you've got the advantage."

Even as he spoke, Luffy was charging. His fist swept forward, and he felt the impact when Cactus didn't quite manage to get clear in time. It wasn't a solid hit, but Luffy had never limited himself to a single punch when the situation called for more, and several others followed in quick succession. A couple hit Cactus's armor, and Luffy bit back a howl of pain as the spikes pierced his hands. The last punch hit flesh, though, and Luffy heard the heavy sword clang against the ground as Cactus stumbled back. This was his chance! Luffy shot forward, following the sound of Cactus gasping for breath.

An instant later, Luffy's entire body went numb. His steps faltered. Unable to feel the ground beneath him, one foot came down wrong, and he knew he was falling. He felt no pain as he hit the ground.

"It's been a long time since I altered more than two of my opponent's senses for anything other than my own amusement." Cactus sounded like he was right on top of him, though Luffy's sensitive ears made it impossible to know for sure. "Are you finally ready to start living up to that name?" The words were punctuated with another screech of metal as Cactus reclaimed his sword.

Working on muscle memory, Luffy rolled away and lurched to his feet. He wobbled, but he didn't fall again. And he couldn't feel his wounds anymore, either. Though what he was about to do would make the pain so much worse once the effects wore off. But that was okay. It would be worth it.

"Why don't you find out?" Luffy pulled himself into what he hoped was a fighting position, deliberately facing away from where he knew Cactus was standing. He waited. Cactus wouldn't taunt him this time—he'd want to attack quickly now, to end it before his power wore off.

Cactus circled behind him. Luffy could hear the man's footsteps even through his makeshift earplugs, and his Observation Haki would help him sense the attack, when it came. He tried not to appear too confident. It wasn't hard; Luffy was tiring, and he knew it. His breaths came in gasps, his stomach hadn't had any meat in it for far too long, and even if he couldn't feel the wounds themselves, he could tell he was getting weaker. He felt dizzy and off-balance from the barrage of sounds, and not being able to feel the ground beneath him was giving him a strange sense of disconnect. The attack would come soon. It had to.

The flash of an image—startling against the blackness surrounding him. He ducked to avoid the attack, spun as fast as he could without toppling, and lashed out with his fists at the man in front of him. He couldn't feel the punches, but Cactus's grunts and the thuds of flesh against flesh and armor assured him his hits were connecting.

He kept going, giving Cactus the best Gomu-Gomu no Gatling he could without a rubber body. A battle cry ripped from his throat, echoing painfully in his ears. Cactus tried to bring his sword up, but Luffy coated his fists with Armament Haki and carried on. He stepped forward, pushing Cactus back, heedless of any other attacks that might be flying in his path. He heard a ringing snap that might have been the sword breaking, heard pained gasps that came from Cactus rather than himself. Still, Luffy kept going. If he let up and his opponent still had fight left in him, he might not get another chance.

At some point, he became aware that he was no longer moving forward. His punches were still landing, but they failed to move the other man back. Either they'd run up against a wall somewhere, or Cactus was trying to rally.

Luffy kept going. He couldn't stop yet. He couldn't give Cactus a chance. He had to keep punching, had to keep fighting, until—

His arm wouldn't move forward. Someone had grabbed him, was pulling him away. Luffy struggled, twisting to bring his other fist to bear on whoever had hold of him.

"Luffy, stop it, that's enough!"

The voice was an urgent yell, only a few inches away, and Luffy flinched, the cloth in his ears doing little to stop the painfully loud volume.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" the voice demanded, and Luffy stopped struggling as he finally managed to place it. Sanji.

"I know you had to beat the guy, but you didn't have to go this far!" Sanji shouted. "Shit, your hands…"

"Are they bad?" Luffy asked. He'd figured there would be some damage, but he'd hoped that his Haki had protected him from the worst of it.

"You can't tell just by looking? Chopper's going to kill you when he sees this."

That didn't sound promising. But then, Chopper did overreact sometimes. "Can't see," Luffy mumbled. "This guy's stupid power hasn't worn off yet."

"He's still conscious?" Sanji took a step, and Luffy could hear a faint creak of leather, followed by a soft groan. "Huh, look at that. He is."

"What's going on?" Zoro's voice this time. "Luffy, you okay?"

"Don't worry, Zoro, I'm—"

"You are _not_ fine!" Sanji snapped. "Try saying that _after_ you've seen your damn hands. Or the rest of you, for that matter."

Luffy heard a string of curses as Zoro moved in for a closer look.

"Oi, Marimo. Find Chopper and get him over here _now_ ," Sanji said. "No, wait, what am I saying? You stay with Luffy; _I'll_ find him."

Luffy felt himself being pushed forward, followed by the sound of Sanji's heavy shoes running off.

"You idiot." Zoro's voice was the sort of barely restrained murmur that made it clear he would rather be shouting. Then again, he was close enough that it nearly _did_ sound like shouting to Luffy. "You never did know when to hold back, did you?"

"But I did it," Luffy said. "I beat him. Didn't I?"

Zoro snorted. "You certainly did that. This guy won't be fighting again anytime soon."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Luffy asked. Cactus wasn't a bad guy, not really, and Luffy hadn't been trying to kill him.

"How the hell should I know? I'm no doctor. He's still breathing, anyway."

"Good," Luffy said. "He was really tough, so he'll probably—"

Light slammed into him. It had not been an especially sunny day, but after the total darkness of the past few minutes, there might as well have been a dozen spotlights inches from his face. A split second later, his body exploded with pain. Every gash, every stab, every burn that he'd acquired during the battle reasserted itself with force, as though concerned he might have missed them without the constant reminder of their presence. And his hands… His hands felt as though they'd been liberally decorated with glass shards before being dipped in oil and plunged into a furnace.

He screamed once, the sound oddly quiet to his suddenly average hearing. Then a different kind of darkness rushed in to greet him.

This time, Luffy welcomed it.

 

* * *

 

Zoro hadn't enjoyed a fight this much in centuries. His opponent didn't seem to feel the same, however.

"You're holding back," Chidori spat as she successfully blocked another Pound Cannon. "If you're not going to take me seriously, you can go back to whatever hell you came from and rot there."

"Holding back and not taking you seriously aren't the same thing," Zoro said. "I'm giving you a chance to show me what you can do. If you're not satisfied with the way I'm fighting," he smirked at her around the sword hilt in his mouth, "then push me harder."

Her mouth dropped open for an instant before morphing into a smile of her own. "Fine," she said. "But if you lose because you were slacking off, don't expect me to feel sorry for you."

"If I ever slacked off enough to lose a battle, I wouldn't deserve your pity."

"At least we can agree on that much."

She was good, Zoro thought as he parried a fresh wave of attacks. She was confident, but she had a right to be. Against someone else, she'd stand a good chance of winning. And that fire in her eyes… It was hard not to get caught up in old memories when he looked at those eyes, so strongly did they remind him of certain other swordswomen he had known—and of himself, from long ago.

Her sword whistled past his ear and he pulled himself back to the present. She was damn fast, this girl. Right. Time to stop daydreaming. This fight might be fun, but Luffy and the others were counting on him. He'd indulged long enough. With this kind of passion, he was sure he'd see her again someday. And next time, she'd be even better.

Her steps slowed for a fraction of an instant, perhaps sensing his change in intent, but then her sword came up and she settled back into stride. Zoro spun to meet her.

" _Rengoku Oni Giri!"_

She and her sword screamed together as they flew, the ring of metal audible even through the din of battle. Her blade was made of stronger stuff than Corn's had been, though, and it was still intact as she landed in a group of her comrades, knocking several of them off their feet.

"So." Chidori struggled upright, blood dripping down her cracked armor. "Does this mean you're finally getting serious, Roron—"

" _Luffy!_ "

Sanji's shout hit Zoro's ears like a bucket of ice water. He whipped around. It didn't take him long to spot the slim figure of his captain near what remained of the building's wall. Luffy was upright and moving; he didn't appear to be in any immediate danger from his opponent, and at first Zoro wasn't sure what the problem might be. Sanji's distress was palpable, however, and when he caught Luffy's wrist, there did seem to be an excessive amount of red coating the arm.

"Luffy, stop it, that's enough!"

Zoro's body moved of its own accord. If something had happened to Luffy—

"Hey!" Chidori's shout cracked like a whip, sharp and indignant. "Are you running away? Or do you really think so highly of yourself that you assumed one attack would do me in?"

In answer, Zoro pivoted, his blades whirling through the air. " _Kokujo: O Tatsumaki!_ " To hell with the damn square. Any onlookers stupid enough to hang around this long would just have to find a way to get clear. Without pausing to look back, he ran to join Sanji at Luffy's side.

"What's going on?" he asked, sheathing his swords as he skidded to a halt. "Luffy, you okay?"

Luffy turned a weary grin in his direction. "Don't worry, Zoro, I'm—"

"You are _not_ fine!" Zoro saw Sanji's leg twitch as he spoke, eager for a target on which to vent his anger. "Try saying that _after_ you've seen your damn hands. Or the rest of you, for that matter."

Zoro moved in to get a better look at the limbs in question and swore under his breath, his hands itching to reach for his swords in unconscious imitation of Sanji's reaction. The number of burns, cuts, and stab wounds across Luffy's body had doubled, but his hands were by far the worst.

Blood coated Luffy's arms like a pair of grotesque evening gloves, a steady drip running off his elbows. The skin on his hands was torn open and pitted with deep puncture wounds, as though Luffy had been punching a giant pincushion. A few shards of metal were embedded in his hands and arms, and several fingers rested at odd angles.

Oddly, Luffy seemed almost unaware of his condition. His face didn't register any pain, though he looked slightly apprehensive at Sanji's words.

"Oi, Marimo," Sanji's voice was sharp and urgent. "Find Chopper and get him over here _now."_ He shook his head. "No, wait, what am I saying? You stay with Luffy; _I'll_ find him." He gave Luffy a gentle push toward Zoro, then took off.

The jab at his sense of direction barely even registered as Zoro reached out to support his captain. Luffy's balance appeared to be off, and he tilted drunkenly to one side before Zoro righted him.

Zoro pulled him close, doing his best to avoid the numerous injuries. "You idiot. You never did know when to hold back, did you?"

"But I did it," Luffy said. "I beat him. Didn't I?"

Zoro glanced down at the limp figure huddled against the wall. Porcupine's spiked armor was badly cracked. He had several broken bones—ribs for sure, and his right arm was a little too bent to be natural. The shattered remnants of a sword could be seen a few feet away.

Zoro snorted. "You certainly did that. This guy won't be fighting again anytime soon." He couldn't hold back a surge of satisfaction at the thought, especially after catching sight of Luffy's hands again. He knew Luffy had survived worse injuries in the past. But that had been a different body, stronger than the one he'd had to start with this time and with the added advantage of a devil fruit to help him bounce back. This was the first time Luffy's current body had had to cope with something so severe. Zoro's heart had nearly stopped when he'd seen those hands. Or it would have, if he'd still had one.

_Damn it, when did I start stealing Brook's lines?_

"Is he gonna be okay?" Luffy asked.

Frankly, Zoro didn't care. "How the hell should I know? I'm no doctor. He's still breathing, anyway."

"Good," Luffy said. "He was really tough, so he'll probably—"

Luffy jerked in Zoro's arms, his eyes screwing shut. A scream ripped from his throat, his hands twitched in reflex, and then he was limp, his body a dead weight against Zoro's chest.

"Where the hell is Chopper?" Zoro growled, shifting Luffy to a more stable position as he turned to look out at the battlefield. With a rush of relief he spotted the doctor leaping nimbly over fallen guards in full reindeer form, Sanji right behind him.

"How is he?" Chopper asked anxiously, shifting to his usual form as he reached them, his momentum nearly sending him tumbling into the wall.

"Bad." Zoro crouched down, laying Luffy carefully on the ground to allow Chopper better access.

Chopper let out a horrified gasp and set to work. The others arrived soon after, and Nami was immediately pressed into service as an assistant.

Zoro figured he'd be most useful by making sure that none of their enemies tried to attack during the process. He scanned the square carefully, but the few guards who were still capable of movement didn't appear to be in any hurry to try for round two. On the contrary, they—along with most of the townspeople who hadn't yet abandoned the square—were staring at the Straw Hats with a mixture of fear and awe. Zoro had a feeling that very few of them doubted Luffy's story any longer.

A few minutes later, a low groan caught his attention, and he glanced over to see Porcupine attempting to raise himself from the ground. The man managed a half-slumped sitting position before leaning back with a sigh. Zoro raised a sword to point at him in warning.

Porcupine eyed it with resigned amusement. "That will not be necessary… Roronoa Zoro."

"You'll understand if I don't take your word for it."

A quiet chuckle. "I suppose I wouldn't either, in your place." Porcupine's head turned slightly in Luffy's direction. "Your captain is quite remarkable… if rather reckless."

"Yeah." Zoro glanced over at the still figure.

"He's not what I would have expected."

"He gets that a lot."

Porcupine chuckled again. "So, I suppose you'll be robbing us, once your doctor has finished his work."

"We didn't kick your asses just for the fun of it." The sword inched closer. "I wouldn't try to stop us again, if I were you."

Porcupine's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "My men are in no shape to stop you. Nor am I." He looked thoughtful. "I wonder if my ability would even work on you. Perhaps without a physical body, there would be nothing to affect."

Zoro's eye narrowed. "You'd better keep wondering." He hadn't seen exactly what Porcupine could do, but he wasn't about to give the man a free shot at him just to find out. If he really wanted to know, he could ask Luffy later.

"I suppose I can live without satisfying my curiosity. My ability is currently being employed elsewhere, in any case." He shifted position, pushing himself a little farther up against the wall.

Zoro's sword swept up to touch Porcupine's throat. "Didn't I just tell you not to try anything?"

Porcupine sighed. "I'm using them on myself, Roronoa. It is considerably easier to carry on a conversation when I can't feel my injuries."

Zoro's gaze flicked to Luffy again. Was that why he had seemed unaware of the damage he'd taken? Had he injured himself so badly in the first place because he hadn't felt the wounds? And yet, would Luffy have been able to keep fighting as long as he had, if he'd had to deal with all the pain? That power was quite a double-edged sword.

They didn't talk much after that, watching as Chopper finished with Luffy and began treating the more serious injuries among the rest of the crew. At some point, Zoro noticed that Robin had retrieved his discarded clothes. They were dirty and well-trampled, but appeared otherwise intact. Zoro was unsure whether or not to be pleased.

 

* * *

 

When he returned to consciousness, Luffy's mind and body were in fundamental disagreement about the current state of affairs.

His body was firmly convinced that the situation was terrible. It drew his attention to the burning throb of his hands, the pounding of his head, the aches and stabbing pains that seemed to cover every inch of him. Clearly, the right thing to do was to go back to sleep immediately and see if things had improved by the next time he woke up.

His mind would have no part of it. He had been through worse; he would live. And they had won. He had shown his friends that they could still rely on him when there was something important to do. Brook would get his fruit now—maybe he even had it already. This was no time to be sleeping; he should be dancing, jumping for joy, celebrating with his friends!

He compromised by slowly opening his eyes, taking stock of his surroundings but making no move to rise just yet.

They were still in the square. It seemed quiet, so he figured the fighting was over. Robin, Brook, and Zoro stood guard, forming a loose semicircle backed by the remains of the wall. To Luffy's left, Chopper fussed as he wrapped a bandage around Sanji's arm. He didn't see Nami at first, but then a shadow fell over him, and he was looking up at her concerned face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. A thick bandage covered her cheek, and when she reached out to touch his forehead, he saw her arm was wrapped as well.

He summoned up a grin. "I'm great!"

"Liar." She flicked his nose gently. "Don't pretend you're fine after something like that."

"It hurts," he admitted, trying not to think about how much more it was going to hurt once he started moving. "But I'm not lying. We beat those guys. We can go get Brook's fruit now. And we don't have to hide anymore. So I'm great."

"I can't agree that revealing ourselves to the world is something to be happy about," Nami said. "That man nearly killed you, Luffy! How many others just like him are going to come after us now that the secret's out? You should at least have waited until you got your powers back!"

"I'm ready now," he insisted. "I'm tired of hiding. If people try to come after us, fighting them will make us stronger faster." He looked up at the cloudy sky. "And there'll be good guys, too. Maybe one of them will help us find my fruit."

"I hope so." She sighed. "I want to hit you for being so reckless—but I suppose that wouldn't be the best idea right now. I'll be saving it for later, though, don't worry."

He grinned at her. "Yeah, later's good."

She laughed, tapping a fist very lightly on the top of his head. "I'm glad you're okay."

The others had noticed he was awake. "I'm fine," Luffy said, as Zoro crouched next to him.

That got him a smile, though Luffy didn't miss the way Zoro's eye made a quick sweep over his body. "Do you think you can stand?"

"Luffy really shouldn't be moving yet," Nami said.

"In case you haven't noticed, this isn't exactly a vacation spot," Zoro said. "It's better for us to get what we came for and leave. You and Chopper can tie him to his bed once we're out of here."

Nami bit her lip. "I know, but—"

"Another thing," Zoro continued. "This place is full of people who've just watched Luffy declare himself a legend and kick the ass of the strongest guy on the island. The impression we leave them with will affect everything we do from here on. Luffy needs to look strong."

"Even if it hurts him more in the process?"

Zoro's face darkened for an instant before settling back into gruff concern. "I'm not trying to hurt him," he said. "If I have to carry him back to the ship while fighting off every pirate in the Grand Line, then I will. But if Luffy can walk out of here on his own, they'll be less likely to bother us for a while, and he'll have more time to recover."

"It's okay, Nami," Luffy said. "My legs aren't that bad, anyway. I can walk. He's right. I need to do this myself." He gave her a smile. "Besides, I want to be there when we get Brook's fruit." He looked from Nami to Zoro. "You guys didn't get it yet, right?"

"No," Nami said. "We decided it was better to stay together, at least until Chopper finished treating everyone."

"He's finished," Sanji said. The cook was limping slightly, and Chopper looked like he wanted to argue the point, but gave up with a small sigh.

"You ready, Luffy?" Zoro asked.

Luffy nodded, bracing himself.

Zoro reached out and gently lifted Luffy to his feet. He did his best to avoid the injuries, but the movement alone was enough to turn the dull knives of pain into razor-sharp blades. Luffy bit back a gasp, his head spinning as he tried to keep from passing out again.

A wave of warmth washed over him, sweeping away the dizziness and scaling the pain back to something almost manageable. Luffy blinked, then looked up at Zoro. "Did you just…?"

"If I'm pushing you to move, the least I can do is lend you the strength to do it," Zoro said.

Luffy smiled. "Okay," he said. "Let's go." He turned to face the building, and caught sight of Cactus sitting against the wall not far from where Luffy had been lying. Their eyes met, and Luffy could read respect and resignation in the man's dark gaze.

Luffy stepped forward, hardly wobbling at all. "We're going to take the fruit now," he told Cactus.

"So I gathered," Cactus said. "I won't tell you where it is. You'll have to search the entire building for it."

"That's okay," Luffy said. "We can find it."

"I'm sure you can," Cactus said. "You fight well, Monkey D. Luffy. I will be interested to see whether you can live up to your former glory."

"I don't care about glory," Luffy said. "I'm just taking care of what's important to me. That's what I've always done." Then he turned away and led his crew inside.

The building was warm and stuffy after the open air of the square. Past the entrance hall there were very few windows, and the lights gave the corridors a sickly yellow hue. Zoro slipped past Luffy to take point, his silvery glow providing a welcome change of color.

"Hold it," Nami said, hurrying up to join him. "There's no way I'm letting _you_ lead the search."

Zoro glared at her. "If you want to be the first one facing any enemies waiting in here, be my guest."

"That doesn't mean letting you navigate is a good idea! We need to find this fruit _today_."

"You don't have any more idea of where to start looking than I do! What good is navigating if we have to check every room anyway?"

Nami had opened her mouth to respond when she was interrupted by a soft cough. They turned to see a young woman standing in the corridor behind them. From her wounds—and the katana she clutched in one hand—Luffy guessed that she'd been fighting Zoro.

"What are you doing here?" Luffy heard the scrape of metal as Zoro prepared to draw his swords. "If you think you stand a better chance in an enclosed space—"

"No," she said. "I came to take you to the fruit."

Luffy could feel the confused suspicion radiating from Zoro, but Nami spoke first. "Why?" she asked. "Your leader wouldn't even tell us where it is; why would you go against his orders?"

"He didn't order anything," the woman said. "He made his own decision. Mine is that the sooner you leave here, the better. And…" Her eyes flicked to Zoro. "You defeated us fairly. It was our failing that we could not stop you. To try to hinder you now, merely to keep the prize from your hands for a few more minutes, would be childish."

Zoro stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"Okay, you can take us," Luffy said. "But Zoro's going to kick your ass if you're trying to trick us."

"He's already done that," she said, with the air of someone gathering the shreds of their dignity around them. "And while I fully intend to challenge him again someday, I'm not so stupid as to attempt a rematch now."

"Heh," Zoro said. "You're stubborn, girl."

" _Chidori_ ," she said, drawing herself up as much as she could with her injuries. "What's the point of asking for someone's name if you don't intend to use it?" She swept past him, halting at the first intersection. "Well? Do you want the thing or not?"

The room she led them to was attended—he looked far too timid to merit the term "guarded"—by a reedy, freckle-faced young man, who scrambled aside in relief at Chidori's gesture. Inside, the room was filled with a long row of secure lockers. Unlike the vaults at Whitestone, these were helpfully labeled with their contents. Nami found the one holding the Yomi-Yomi no Mi even before Chidori could point it out.

"I don't have the key," Chidori said. "You're on your own from here."

"Not a problem," Nami said.

It seemed like the longest minute of Luffy's life as he waited for Nami to pick the lock, and he was sure it felt even longer to Brook. Out of the corner of his eye, Luffy could see him shaking with excitement—or was that fear? Luffy tried to imagine how he'd feel if it were the Gomu-Gomu no Mi inside the safe, and decided it must be both. Not that he was afraid to eat his fruit again. It was just such a big thing that you couldn't help but be a little nervous.

The lock clicked and the door swung open—and eight people stared at an empty locker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll just leave you there, shall I? :P
> 
> The next update will probably be a while again; I have a con coming up in a few months and need to focus on making money and doing stuff for that. But I'll be working on this when I can, and maybe things will cooperate for me and go quickly. ^^ I only have a couple more chapters to go until I finish the rough draft—after that, updates will get more frequent, since all I'll have to do is edit.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reading! c:


	18. Gold and Silver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update! This chapter, I would like to apologize for:
> 
> 1\. Waiting three weeks longer than necessary to post because I wanted to update on the Friday closest to my birthday. ^^;  
> 2\. The shorter length. For a while now, I've been trying to stick to a 4k word minimum for chapters, but I just had to end this one where I did.  
> 3\. Ending this where I did. :P
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoy, and thanks so much to everyone who commented and/or left kudos!
> 
> Thanks to [sircerenade](http://sircerenade.tumblr.com/) for betaing this chapter. ^_^

It was a great setup for a trap, Zoro thought. Lured by an irresistible prize, they were all together in a room designed to be securely locked from the outside. It would have been almost perfect, except that the hypothetical mastermind behind the hypothetical trap had failed to take a few important details into account.

Robin's powers would allow her to open the door even from here. Zoro himself could easily leave the vault whenever he wished, to say nothing of simply slicing it open like a coconut. Not to mention it would have shown a rather callous disregard for Chidori's life, locking her in with a group of pirates that had just crushed most of Driftwares' security force.

But it seemed none of that mattered, because no doors slammed shut, no gas filled the room, and no enemies appeared to block the doorway as Nami rounded on Chidori.

"What are you trying to pull?" she demanded. Her hand had moved to her staff despite the lack of obvious traps.

Chidori's face was blank as she stared at the open vault. "Nothing," she said. "It should have been here."

"Well, it isn't."

"I can see that." Chidori spun on her heel and stalked back to the door. Nami made an aborted grab for Chidori before giving up and following her out of the vault.

"The devil fruit those pirates brought in." Chidori's voice was steely, and as Zoro slipped out behind Nami, he saw the attendant cowering against the wall. "The one that was being picked up today. Where is it?"

The young man swallowed. "T-the client came for it, Ma'am. J-just a few minutes ago."

Chidori swore under her breath. "You're sure it was the right person?"

"Y-yes. They've purchased from us before, so…" He looked up at her, his face somehow managing to go even paler than it already was. "Was I not supposed to give it to him? Please—no one told me about a change—"

Chidori pinched the bridge of her nose. "No, it's not your fault." She turned to the Straw Hats. "If we didn't see him on the way here, that means he left through the back. You could try to go after him, but I doubt you'll catch him in your condition, not with the head start he has."

Zoro glanced at Luffy. The last thing he wanted was to leave his friends alone right now, but he was still relatively fresh and had the best chance of catching the fruit before it left the island. At Luffy's nod, Zoro took off down the hall, easily catching Brook and Sanji, who had started forward the moment Chidori had spoken.

"Stay with Luffy!" Zoro shouted as he barreled past. "I'll stop this guy."

They didn't slow. "By the time you find the exit, the fruit'll be on the other side of the Grand Line!" Sanji snapped.

"Then I won't _look_ for the exit!" Zoro snatched his swords from his sash and shoved them at Sanji. "Rest your stupid leg and look after Luffy for me!" He charged through the wall.

Going straight was much easier when you didn't have to worry about doors and hallways. At least, it should have been. Zoro knew from experience, however, that being able to walk through walls didn't stop the buildings from moving around on you, so he was only slightly surprised when he burst out into the overcast sky barely a corner away from where the battle had taken place.

Swearing, he turned his back on the square—See? His sense of direction was fine as long as everything stayed put—and sprinted for the other end of the island. As he ran, Zoro extended his senses, searching for any hints of the buyer's presence. If he could narrow down the location, he could simply teleport to meet him.

But though the island was small and the crowds were returning to the square now that the fighting was over, there were still several dozen people in the nearby buildings alone. Zoro tried to tune them out. _Think!_ _He won't be standing still._ _He got what he came for, so if he's still on the island he'll be on the move, going toward the water—there!_

It was only a faint flicker, but it was moving away quickly, and Zoro latched on and drew himself toward it. However, either he'd missed his mark or the buyer was faster than he'd thought, because when he appeared above the water at the island's edge, all he saw was the distant shape of a sleek aircraft, skimming above the waves and rapidly picking up speed.

"Oh, no you don't," Zoro growled, and teleported again. And again. Each time, he came out just a little too far back. Even when he tried to compensate, the craft's continued acceleration caused him to fall short. Once, he tried to go too far ahead, and the damn thing had somehow moved to a completely different part of the sky. Still, each time, the gap was a little less. Eventually, he would catch it, if the thing would just stop going faster.

And if he lasted long enough.

Zoro had never made this many long jumps in such a short period, and it was taking its toll. He hadn't thought he could feel tired anymore—that business with salt and silver and similar annoying things aside—but he felt it now. Every particle of his being urged him to stop moving and simply drift in the air for the next several hours. His jumps were no longer effortless, and he felt a momentary pang of concern about whether he'd even be able to make himself solid long enough to retrieve the fruit, once he caught the plane. Perhaps he shouldn't have given Luffy so much energy after the battle.

But no. Even knowing what he did now, how could he have done anything else? Luffy had needed the help, and Zoro had been the only one who could give it. Just like he was now. His friends were counting on him. Brook was counting on him. He'd seen Brook's joyful anticipation as he'd waited for the vault to be opened—and the crushed expression that had replaced it when the fruit hadn't been there. Like hell was Zoro going to put that look back on his friend's face again. He wouldn't let the fruit slip through his fingers when he was this close.

So his body would just have to last.

Zoro wrenched himself forward, aiming as far ahead of the plane as he could without giving it the chance to veer off in another direction while he wasn't looking. A fraction of a second later, the aircraft's wing sliced through his body as it passed him.

_Damn it, almost had it that time!_ Seizing the spark of energy the excitement of the near-miss had given him, Zoro teleported again, this time pulling himself into solidity the instant the jump was complete. The next thing he knew was a crushing impact that would surely have broken his bones, if he'd had any to break. He was falling toward the ocean before he'd done more than glimpse the plane, and was only a short distance from the water by the time he'd managed to slip back to intangibility and bring himself to a stop.

"I'm…not…done yet!" Zoro huffed. He began the process of catching up again. The plane's speed and direction hadn't faltered even a fraction—if anything, it had continued to accelerate—and the pilot's lack of reaction confirmed Zoro's suspicions. Whoever this guy was, he had been in the square when Zoro had revealed himself. _Probably went for the fruit as soon as it was clear we were going to win,_ Zoro thought. _Can't blame him—he paid for it, after all—but if he'd stayed, he could have tried to talk Nami out of some treasure for it. This way, he gets nothing._

Then again, maybe that wasn't such a big difference.

Closing in on the craft again, Zoro wished—not for the first time—that he had a way to take solid objects with him when he teleported. If he'd had his swords, stopping this thing would be easy. But his Mutōryū techniques would be of limited use here, with no ground on which to brace himself and no time to build up an attack.

"Nothing else for it, then," he muttered. Steeling himself, he made two successive jumps, each as far ahead as he dared. His hands were already moving as he came out of the second, reaching out even before he shuddered into tangibility, his eyes scanning frantically for his prey.

And his hand caught the edge of a wing.

He nearly lost his grip in the next instant as the plane's speed jerked him forward, but he clung on with grim determination. If he fell now, he probably wouldn't last through a third chase attempt. Fighting against the wind, he stretched out his other hand and clamped it firmly on the wing, then hauled himself up with agonizing slowness. Once he had somewhat stabilized his position, he turned his head toward the cockpit—and met a pair of fiery green eyes.

_I should have known it'd be him._

The blond from the museum watched in silence as Zoro inched himself closer. He didn't slow down, nor did he attempt to shake him off. Zoro reached the body of the plane and began pulling himself toward the cockpit. He was within a couple feet of it when the noise and pressure of the wind dropped away abruptly, leaving him in a bubble of still air. His surprise must have shown on his face, because the blond finally spoke.

"It's a pressurized forcefield." A smile danced on the edges of his lips. "Much more flexible than normal windows. I can even choose what to allow through." He tapped something on the plane's control panel, then took his hands off the controls and turned to face Zoro. "Needless to say, if I didn't want you to pass, you wouldn't have gotten in."

Zoro grunted, tightening his grip on the edge of the cockpit. "Then why did you? If you wanted to talk, you wouldn't have made me go through all of that shit just now."

"Maybe I'm just softening you up before I get serious." The blond gave him a sardonic smile as he echoed the words Zoro had said to him during their last encounter. "You look like one good spoonful of salt would do you in."

That was probably closer to the truth than Zoro wanted to acknowledge. "And I suppose you happen to have one in your back pocket."

"Do I look like a ghost hunter? I never even believed in them; it's not rational." He laughed, and Zoro felt a prickle go down the back of his neck. Whatever emotions that laugh contained, happiness wasn't one of them. "But expecting pirates—especially pirates from _your_ crew—to behave rationally is irrational in itself, I suppose. I should thank you for blowing your cover like that. Even after that stunt you pulled at the museum, I might not have believed it otherwise. Your _captain's_ little speech was the last bit of confirmation I needed." The blond all but spat Luffy's title.

His left hand flicked up, and Zoro found himself staring down the barrel of a snub-nosed pistol. "But confirmation is all it was. There are only so many possibilities when you're dealing with someone who can possess people. I might not have believed in ghosts, but I do believe in being prepared for anything." He twitched the gun. "The bullets are silver. Though if you'd prefer salt, I'm sure I can find some of that as well."

Zoro gave the most confident smirk he could muster. "You're sure that'll work on me, are you? If you didn't believe in spirits until today, that means you've never tested it."

A brief moment of hesitation, then the blond moved the gun a fraction closer to Zoro. "I can test it now, if you like."

It was Zoro's turn to hesitate, and he knew he'd given himself away. "What if I'd been something else?"

"I said I was prepared for anything. The old man's research was thorough." He gave Zoro a tight smile. "But in the end, looks like the only things I'll have needed are this"—he nodded at the gun—"and this." He held up a sheet of paper in his other hand.

Zoro recognized it as one of the flyers that had been scattered through the square. "That was you?" It shouldn't have surprised him. Who else on that island had had so much as a hint of their existence beforehand?

"It had quite an effect, didn't it? I wonder how long it would have taken them to put things together without it? I doubt those people spend much time poring over history books."

Zoro gritted his teeth. "Enough. If you're not going to shoot, then talk. What do you want?"

"Me?" The blond laughed again, and the sound was just as unsettling as it had been the first time. "I want to erase the existence of Straw Hat Luffy."

Zoro tensed. It didn't matter how spent he was. If this boy was a threat to Luffy—

The blond lowered the pistol slightly. "Unfortunately, I'm not here in regard to my own wishes today, and my…employer has something different in mind."

"What do you have against Luffy?" Zoro asked. "You weren't even born the first time he lived!"

The blond's gaze darkened. "If I had been, I'd have no reason to hate him."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Another time." The blond reached down, then straightened with the Yomi-Yomi no Mi in his free hand. "You know, I'm supposed to let you take this."

"You're doing a damn poor job of it."

"Letting you take it isn't the same as giving it away. And I didn't say I _wanted_ you to have it. You could even say it's in my best interests that you don't." He gripped the fruit so tightly that Zoro half expected to see juice leaking out. "But sometimes all you have are bad choices. And it's not like I have nothing to gain from you taking it." His eyes narrowed. "Because once you've got this, there's only one other fruit you'll be looking for. And I know the location of the Gomu-Gomu no Mi."

The question slipped out before Zoro could stop himself. "Where is it?"

"I'll send you a postcard." The blond lifted the fruit higher. "Just know that if your captain comes for it, it'll give me the perfect chance to take a shot at him. And I don't miss." He snapped his left arm up and fired in one seamless motion. "Have fun fishing."

Zoro barely heard the last few words. The bullet had lodged deep in his shoulder, the silver tearing into his essence with blades of fire. He was out of the plane and spinning away through the air before he realized it. Had he lost solidity? It felt like he had, yet the damn bullet was still stuck fast inside him, and though he could hardly tell up from down through the pain and wild motion, he had the impression he was heading for the water.

An impression that was reinforced by the round shape sailing past him.

The sight of the Yomi-Yomi no Mi focused Zoro in a way that little else could have done in that moment. Its trajectory carried it away from him, and it was falling faster than he was, in spite of its smaller size. It was instantly apparent that he wouldn't be able to catch it without teleporting.

Making a jump with that chunk of silver in him seemed impossible, but what choice did he have? A fall from this height could smash the fruit to a pulp against the waves. Even if it didn't, there was no guarantee it wouldn't sink to the depths of the ocean, possibly lost forever. Gritting his teeth, Zoro wrenched himself downward.

He emerged gasping for air he did not need, a black haze drifting at the edges of his vision. The sounds of the ocean around him were faint and distorted. He didn't know if the bullet was still in him, but the pain in his shoulder had tripled, and his left arm wasn't responding to his attempts to move it. They were problems he had no time for, and so he pushed them away. He had made it. The fruit was dropping straight toward him now. With an effort it hadn't cost him since he'd first learned how to do it, Zoro pushed himself into solidity. He stretched out his right hand, felt the satisfying thud as the fruit slammed into it—

And then, with horror, felt his control snap, watched as the Yomi-Yomi no Mi sank through his suddenly intangible hand and splashed into the sea.

It floated, at least. That was something.

"Shit!" Zoro reached for the fruit again, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't so much as brush it. His fingers slid through the Yomi-Yomi no Mi like it was made of air.

Or he was. With a shock, Zoro realized his hand was barely visible against the bright skin of the fruit. A moment later, a wave slapped against the fruit, spraying salt water across his arm. _That_ he felt, far more strongly than he should have from such a brief contact. He jerked back with a hoarse yell.

The sound echoed in his ears, and Zoro was suddenly aware of how quiet it was. The roar of the sea had disappeared completely. The world around him was fading, blotted out by the black fog filling his vision. The only things left to him were the soul-rending agony of the silver and, almost insignificant in comparison, the fiery needles of the salt on his arm. Almost immediately, however, another sensation rose to join it—a seductive tugging at his essence that promised relief from the pain. It would be easy. All he had to do was relax and let go. He instinctively labeled it as dangerous even as his body ached to let it take him.

He had felt this before. But when? Zoro forced himself to think, threw himself into facts and memories so his mind had no room to take in something far worse.

The day he'd rescued Chopper from the ocean. That was the last time. The call had been quieter then, a mere whisper compared to this, but the source had been the same. It had tired him, distracted him from the world around him, but he'd been able to shrug it off without great difficulty. Because he'd done it before. He'd done it constantly, back when…

Back when he'd first died. That was where he knew the pull from. That was when he'd learned its danger.

It wasn't malicious in itself, he knew. It was a natural part of things. People finished their time in this world, and it helped them find their way, took them to what came after. But Zoro hadn't been ready to go yet, and so he had fought.

It had been like trying to swim upstream in a river with all the force of the universe behind it. Which might actually have been the case, now he thought about it. If it hadn't been for Luffy—if his mind had had any other thoughts besides keeping his promise to his captain and seeing his friends again—he was certain it would have swept him away.

The force of that river had lessened over time, and he hadn't felt its pull for centuries. According to Sanji, he was here to stay, perhaps even if he didn't want to. But he felt the pressure now, as phantom currents swirled around him, carrying him away from a world they thought he should have departed long ago. This time, the pull wouldn't be so easy to shake off.

_No!_ he screamed into the blackness. _I am not finished here!_

But why? It was harder to remember now. He knew he didn't want to let the river take him, but his reason for fighting was growing fuzzy. And he was so tired. Would it be such a bad thing, really, to give in? Was there really anything left for him to do? He had kept his promise, after all. He had seen his friends again. He had brought them back. And Luffy—

Blood. Bandages. Luffy had been hurt. Was he still? How long had it been? What about the others? Had they been hurt? He couldn't remember. But he had to know. Had to make sure they were safe. Had to keep them safe. They wouldn't have been here if it weren't for him; he couldn't leave them now. Even if he forgot everything else, he had to remember them. Had to keep fighting.

Faces. Memories. Words. Dreams. Each was a stake anchoring him to the cliff of existence, and Zoro clung to them with all his might as the whispering tide swept over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? Perfect place to stop. (I'm sorry.) I'm going to try to get the next chapter out a little sooner, though no promises.
> 
> Thanks for reading! ^_^


	19. Imagination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, it's another update, and it only took a month and a half this time! If Real Life behaves itself (please!), the next chapter might come (relatively) quickly as well.
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who left kudos and/or commented! Also thanks to sircerenade for looking over this chapter. ^_^

"Do you see anything?" Nami called.

"Not yet," Usopp shouted back. He was perched on the roof of the crow's nest, goggles on, scanning the horizon for signs of a ship, or Zoro, or anything at all to tell them they were heading in the right direction.

Not that he didn't trust Nami's navigating, of course. The very idea was absurd. Nami was the best in the world at what she did. But they'd been out here for over four hours now, with nothing more to go on than one eyewitness report of someone leaving the island in this general direction. But the witness could have been wrong about which way the guy had gone. And they didn't even know if they were following the right person.

For that matter, if the guy had really left by air, as the witness had claimed (Usopp knew that flight was more common than it had been in their time, but this island didn't seem like the type that got planes often), then there was no way they could catch up to him now. If it was the right guy. If he was still heading in this direction. If he'd ever been heading this direction at all. And what if Zoro wasn't with him? Where would they even begin to look for a ghost that could be anywhere in this vast expanse of ocean? Even if Zoro had managed to catch the guy and get the fruit, expecting him to find his way back to the island was… Well, even Chopper, back when he'd swallowed every fantastic tale Usopp could come up with, wouldn't have believed that one.

It was already sunset, too. An oddly optimistic part of Usopp noted that it would probably be easier to see Zoro in the dark. He immediately reminded himself that it was a very big ocean, and if they weren't in the right spot, it wouldn't matter how strong Zoro's glow was. And that even if they did find Zoro, _and_ the fruit, it still didn't mean their troubles were over. What had Luffy been _thinking_ , telling the world who they were when he didn't even have his powers back? As much progress as they'd been making, they still weren't at the level of a pirate king's crew. Usopp doubted anyone would care about that, though. Pirates and those Greysaber people and who knew what else would be coming after them, for bragging rights or revenge or just to eliminate the competition.

Usopp whimpered. He wasn't ready for this. He was barely seventeen, the same age he'd been when he'd set out with Luffy the first time but so much more aware of how strong you had to be to survive in this life. The memories helped a little, but he wasn't sure he could ever live up to the image of the confident warrior they showed him. His body definitely wasn't there yet, in spite of the training he'd been doing.

"Oi, Usopp!" Sanji called. He was standing by the rail, preparing to head out for another round of searching via Sky Walk. "Worry after you find him. Right now you need to keep looking." He pushed off the deck, setting out on a diagonal from the ship's course.

"I can do both!" Usopp shouted after him. Still, he took the point and applied himself to his goggles. And maybe he really hadn't been looking as hard as he could have before, because it was only a minute or two later that he spotted a distant speck in the water.

"I see something!" Usopp waved at the others so hard he nearly fell off the roof. "Guys, I think I got something!"

"Let's hope it's not another rubber duck," Nami said.

"That was only once!" Usopp protested. "And anyway, this is something bigger."

As Sunny drew closer, Usopp became more and more certain that this one wasn't a false alarm. He scrambled down to the deck just in time to watch Robin retrieve the object with a long-handled fishing net.

"Congratulations, Brook," Robin said, and Usopp joined in the collective exhale of relief at the words. She held out the slightly waterlogged Yomi-Yomi no Mi. "It seems your part of the search is over."

Speechless, Brook accepted it, his eyes nearly as wet as the fruit.

There were smiles and congratulations all around. Franky nearly knocked Brook over with a hearty clap on the back. The happy mood lasted for a good two minutes or so, before Chopper's anxious voice broke through the chatter.

"Where's Zoro?" Chopper was hanging on Sunny's rail, peering down at the water. "Why isn't he with the fruit?"

Luffy rushed to look for himself, the others crowding along the rail behind him. Usopp stared at the sea worriedly. The light was disappearing fast now, and it should have been easy to see Zoro if he was anywhere nearby. But there wasn't even a trace of silver in sight.

"He must have caught the guy," Franky said. "Or the fruit wouldn't've been floating out here."

"Perhaps he fell into the sea and was torn apart by the waves," Robin said.

"T-that's not funny." Usopp tried to stop his knees from shaking. If they lost Zoro now, just when they were most likely to need him…

"We'll keep looking." Nami grabbed Franky's arm and dragged him toward the helm. "Now that we've found the fruit, I can figure out which way the currents would have carried it over the past few hours. We'll backtrack its course."

"It'll be okay." Luffy's whisper was soft as he stared out to sea beside Chopper. "Zoro's strong. He probably just got lost again."

Usopp thought the words were meant to reassure Luffy himself as much as Chopper. But his captain was right, Usopp thought firmly. There were any number of reasons why Zoro might not be with the fruit, and Zoro falling victim to his absent sense of direction was, honestly, the most likely option. He turned toward the rigging, ready to return to the crow's nest and start his search again.

And then the den den mushi Robin was carrying began to ring.

" _Robin-chan!"_ The note of panic in Sanji's voice chilled Usopp to the bone. _"Tell Nami-san to get the Sunny over here right now!"_

"Sanji?" Robin sounded startled. "What—"

" _I found him. I found Zoro, but he's—"_ Sanji broke off with a curse. _"Robin-chan, if we don't do something fast, I think we're gonna lose him."_

"Where are you?" Robin asked as she hurried away.

A large lump of ice settled in Usopp's stomach. Or maybe it was lead. Something very heavy and cold, anyway. This couldn't be happening. Sanji had to be wrong. Zoro couldn't die. Or disappear, or whatever the proper term was. What had happened? He couldn't have _lost_. There just couldn't be anyone stronger than Zoro was now. Usopp couldn't even imagine it.

_But it isn't always the strongest who wins,_ said a little voice in his head. _You should know that better than anyone._

"Usopp!"

Jerked from his thoughts, Usopp looked down to see Chopper tugging frantically on his pant leg. "W-what is it, Chopper?" he asked.

"I need you to help me." Chopper began pulling him toward the infirmary. "I don't know what's wrong with Zoro, but the generator might help, so…so can you help me bring it down?"

"No problem!" To be honest, he was glad to have a job to do. "Leave it to me!"

In the infirmary, Chopper opened the large box. "Does it all look okay?" he asked anxiously. "I don't see anything wrong, but I'm a doctor, not a mechanic, so…"

Usopp lifted the generator out, inspecting first the machine itself, then the lengths of wire, copper ends exposed, that trailed from it. "Yeah. Everything looks fine. It should start right up."

"I just hope it helps." Chopper bit his lip. "We've never tested this on him. Usopp, _why didn't we test it_? I know Sanji's book said spirits could get energy from electricity, but what if you have to do it a certain way? What if too much makes him worse?" His worried tone edged into a wail. "This isn't like patching him up after a fight! What if I can't do anything? What if I do something wrong?"

Doing his best to swallow his own fear and panic, Usopp reached out and put a hand on Chopper's shoulder. "Hey now. I believe in you. You're as prepared for this as anyone could be. So what if you won't be wrapping him in bandages like you used to? This is just a different kind of patching up. And no one does a better job of patching up Zoro than you do."

Chopper sniffled and wiped at his nose with a hoof. "S-shut up," he mumbled. "Hearing that d-doesn't make me happy, you j-jerk."

Usopp patted Chopper's back. "That's the spirit." He stood. "Now c'mon. Let's get this downstairs."

They brought the generator down to the docking room. According to Sanji, Zoro probably shouldn't be moved even if they had had a way to move him while intangible, so they would be taking the Mini Merry to him.

"Do you have everything, Chopper?" Robin asked as she settled into the driver's seat.

Chopper adjusted his bag and glanced at the generator that was now resting on a seat. "I-I think so." He scrambled into the boat. "Let's go."

They spotted Sanji almost immediately, one leg kicking rhythmically to keep himself above the water. Beside him was a formless cloud of silver light.

"Slow down!" Sanji called as soon as they got within hearing distance. "Getting doused with salt water is the last thing he needs right now."

Robin slowed the Mini Merry to a crawl. Chopper bounced impatiently in his seat; Usopp could tell it was taking everything the little doctor had to keep from jumping into the ocean and trying to swim to his patient. And Usopp didn't blame him. As they drew nearer, he got his first good look at Zoro, and the icy weight in his stomach gained several pounds.

The cloudy patch of silver shone blindingly bright in the twilight, and at first it was difficult to make out anything else. It looked like a misshapen octopus, hazy tendrils stretching away from the body as though to devour its prey. And that prey—

It was like staring at a picture that contained a hidden image. The faint traces of silver in the air around the cloud snapped into focus in Usopp's mind, and suddenly, he could see the shape they formed.

Zoro's body was little more than a faint outline. All color had drained away, leaving him almost entirely transparent except for the silver cloud where his left shoulder had been. The curve of phantom muscle was gone, replaced by a ragged mess of light that trailed from his body like streamers. A steady trickle of ectoplasm fell from the cloud, the liquid sizzling and vanishing as it hit the ocean. Aside from that, there was no movement at all.

"Oh, crap," Usopp muttered. _Please, Chopper. If anyone can fix this, it's you. Please…_

"What _happened_?" Chopper asked, as Robin brought the boat to a careful halt. It was a question that wouldn't get a full answer until Zoro woke up— _if_ he woke up—but Sanji tried his best.

"It looks like something tore right through him." Sanji gestured at Zoro's shoulder as he stepped lightly onto the edge of the boat. "And whatever did it was made of something he's weak to. An ordinary steel weapon couldn't have caused this."

"Are you saying someone just happened to have an anti-ghost weapon handy?" Usopp said. "When no one but us knew about Zoro until a few hours ago?" Except they hadn't quite been the only ones, had they? Olin, Anjia, and Callan knew as well. And they had left them on the doorstep of an enemy stronghold! He didn't want to think that any of the three would have betrayed them, but it was his job to always consider the worst possibility. And they might not have done it willingly. What if Greysaber had captured them, tortured them until they, quite literally, gave up the ghost?

"We can talk about it later!" Sanji snapped. " _How_ it happened doesn't matter right now!"

Yes. Right. There would be plenty of time for paranoid theories _after_ they made sure Zoro wasn't going to disappear on them.

"Usopp, start the generator." Chopper's entire demeanor had shifted. He was in full doctor mode now, all doubts and fears pushed aside. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a gray case and opened it, removing a pair of dark glasses and a small spray bottle. Usopp caught a glimpse of several other items, including what looked like a set of surgical tools made from bronze and a light-colored wood, before Chopper snapped it shut.

_He put together an iron- and silver-free_ _ghost_ _medical kit,_ _just in case._ Usopp shook his head. _See, Chopper? No doctor in the world could do this better than you._ He attached the wires to the flexible stand they had constructed and extended it over the side of the boat.

"Start with a low setting," Chopper directed as the generator hummed to life.

Usopp lowered the wires until the ends hung in the center of Zoro's transparent form. He pressed a switch, and was relieved to see an instant response from the indicator light. The machine was functioning properly. Now they just had to wait and see if it would work the way they hoped.

Chopper, meanwhile, had donned the dark glasses and was vigorously spraying the injured area with the contents of the bottle.

Sanji sniffed the air. "Lemon juice?" He sniffed again. "And mikan, too."

Chopper blushed. "I don't know if it'll do anything, but since ghosts like the smell, I thought maybe it would help…"

Sanji gave him an encouraging smile. "Worth a try. Nice thinking, Chopper."

Leaning out over Zoro, with one arm braced on the edge of a boat carrying delicate equipment, Chopper couldn't afford to do more than twitch at the compliment. He made up for his lack of movement with a fierce blush and several colorful insults Usopp was fairly sure he'd never heard before.

"I just hope the generator works fast enough," Chopper said once he'd calmed down. He sat back in his seat. "That book said electrical energy didn't give ghosts nearly as much power as life energy."

"Can't be helped," Sanji said. "We can't give him the other kind; he has to take it. And if he were aware enough to do that, his condition would probably be stable enough that he'd refuse to take any, at least from us."

They sat in silence for what felt like hours but was probably much less, then Robin (who had the best view by virtue of having bloomed a pair of eyes on an arm extending from the side of the boat) said, "I believe the bleeding may be slowing down."

Chopper scrambled forward again. Usopp and Sanji leaned over him. Robin was right: as they watched, the trickle became a drip, which gradually decreased in frequency. _That's good, right?_ Usopp thought. _That has to mean he's getting better._ He bit his lip. _Unless it means he's running out of ectoplasm to lose._ He shook his head. _No, no, no! Don't think like that! He'll be fine. He has to be._ Usopp stared at the silver droplets, silently begging them to stop. If they heard him, they were in no hurry to comply. Still, by the time they heard an approaching shout from the direction of the Sunny, there was a gap of several seconds between each drop.

"Hey! Guys!"

Usopp turned to see Luffy waving at them from a large raft, Franky behind him. The buzz of an engine echoed across the water.

"Thought Chopper could use more room to work," Franky called. Even in the dark, Usopp could see his smile. "It'll keep the seawater away from Zoro, too."

_That's my dad,_ Usopp thought. Then he grinned to himself. Since they'd gotten their memories back, he'd gradually returned to calling Franky, "Franky", even in his own head. It had just seemed simpler, and put them on more even footing, now that they were all crewmates again. But "Dad" still slipped out now and then, mostly when Usopp was especially scared or happy. He was glad it did. The memories of their old lives didn't invalidate their new ones, and Franky was way too awesome a dad to cast aside.

Luffy was smiling, too, but it was strained, and Usopp could see the worry in his eyes as Franky brought the raft alongside the Mini Merry and carefully maneuvered it underneath the cloud of light. "How's Zoro?" Luffy asked.

"I don't know." Chopper looked like he desperately wished he had something better to say. "The bleeding's slowed down, which is good. But he's never been hurt this badly before, and I don't know enough about ghosts to know if he's out of danger yet."

"You're taking care of him." Luffy patted Chopper's head lightly with his bandage-swathed hand. "So he's going to be okay."

And Luffy believed it, too, Usopp knew, though it didn't stop his eyes from widening and a small gasp from escaping his mouth when he saw the condition of his first mate.

"Let's increase the voltage a bit," Chopper said.

Usopp nodded and fiddled with the controls.

"The bleeding's stopped," Robin announced a few minutes later.

"There, see? He's going to be fine," Usopp said. He wasn't sure who he was talking to. Himself, probably. He climbed onto the raft to get a better look. "This is nothing new, really. I mean, it's almost weirder when Zoro _isn't_ injured after a fight. Remember Thriller Bark? He definitely looked like he was gonna die then, but he didn't. So this is nothing. The other guy's probably even worse off. I mean, Zoro got the fruit back, right? He must have, even if he couldn't hold onto it, because otherwise the guy would have picked it up again, right? So Zoro must have won.

"We just have to wait. He'll probably wake up soon and gloat that Chopper can't wrap him in bandages this time. I wonder if he's dreaming? He said ghosts don't sleep—do you think he meant he doesn't need to, or that he can't? Did anyone ever ask him? Maybe it's something he has to learn to do, like making himself solid, or telekinesis. Maybe he'll be able to do it now. He'd probably like that. He used to sleep all the time, remember? It's been weird to have him awake all the time—though at least there's no chance of tripping over him, I guess—"

"Usopp, relax." Franky put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "He's gonna be fine."

Usopp grinned up at him weakly. "Yeah. Of course he is. Sorry. I guess I was being annoying. Quiet would probably be better, huh? I mean, Zoro's used to sleeping with lots of noise around him—or at least he was—but they always tell you to be quiet in hospitals and stuff, so maybe it's better for healing?"

"Easier for Chopper to concentrate, at least," Sanji muttered.

Usopp rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Right. Sorry. I'll shut up now." He flopped down to wait.

"… _n't sto…"_

Usopp jumped. "What? Did someone say something?" He looked around at the others.

"… _Don't…stop…"_

Usopp shot forward, rocking onto hands and knees. "…Zoro?"

" _Keep talking…"_

The voice was the barest flutter in the air; Usopp strained to catch the words. He felt, rather than saw, the others gather in around him.

"… _I need…remember. …voices…help."_

"Of course," Robin said. "In a way, Zoro's existence _is_ his memories now. The clearer his attachments to this world are in his mind, the easier it is for him to remain here."

_Keep talking._ Usopp felt a spark of excitement ignite in his chest. He'd been dreading the thought of sitting in silence, watching to see if Zoro would pull through, with nothing to do beyond adjusting the generator's output if Chopper asked. But here was a job that seemed tailor-made for him; a way he could help Zoro and pass the time as well. He barely restrained himself from rubbing his hands.

"Leave it to me!" Usopp jabbed a thumb at his chest. "You want memories? No one's better at telling stories than The Great Usopp! I'll tell you about all our adventures. You might have forgotten some of it, Zoro, since you have all those years in between to remember, too, so listen carefully, okay?

"Now, the Straw Hat Pirates didn't _really_ get their start till they came to a place called Syrup Village. Because not only did they get their first real ship there—and a ship is something a pirate crew has to have, you know, can't really do much without one—they also got one of their most important members: Usopp, the King of Snipers!"

"The Adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as told by Usopp." Sanji lit a fresh cigarette. "Well, it'll probably be more interesting than those 'history' books."

Usopp did his best. With occasional interruptions, corrections, and additions from the others—mostly Luffy—he filled the night with the tales of their adventures. Around midnight, Sanji and Robin returned to the Sunny, Sanji to prepare hot drinks and food, and Robin to relieve Nami and Brook, who wanted to take their turn with the group as well.

Through it all, Usopp tried to avoid looking closely at Zoro for signs of change too often. Zoro hadn't spoken, or moved, or reacted in any way since his whispered plea earlier, and trying to decide whether his outline was a little more substantial than it had been an hour before, or if there was a faint tinge of green returning to his hair, was quickly giving Usopp a headache. Best to focus on his stories, and let Chopper—and Zoro himself, of course—handle the other aspects of recovery.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, and Usopp was recounting how Zoro had assisted the King of Snipers in defeating a pair of murderous were-beasts (and yes, giraffes could be _quite_ murderous, thank you very much), when he looked up—and caught the glare of a translucent eye.

"That's not how I remember it," Zoro said drily. His voice was faint, but this time Usopp could hear him easily.

He grinned. "Well, it's been a while. All that time alone on Sunny must have got you mixed up a bit. Trust me, I'm telling this story exactly the way it should be told."

With a faint snort of amusement, Zoro's eye closed and he became still again. But this time, Usopp wasn't worried.

Zoro was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.

 

* * *

 

It was sunny, Zoro thought. He couldn't tell for sure, because someone had erected a giant umbrella over him, and turning his head to look past it seemed like far too much effort to expend on the weather. Sun, rain, or hailstones the size of ostrich eggs, he'd probably feel just as tired. Still, the others would probably appreciate some sun. Where _were_ the others, anyway? Usopp had gone quiet a while ago, and now all he heard were waves slapping against wood—was he back on Sunny?—and a soft, rhythmic sound he couldn't immediately identify.

Moving his body for the weather had been unthinkable, but moving it for his friends was a different matter entirely. Zoro gathered the scraps of his strength and slowly turned his head in the direction of the unknown sound.

Snoring. That's what the sound was. Odd that he'd forgotten it. He heard the rest of the crew snoring every night; he should have recognized it sooner. _That damn river is throwing me off._ The mental pull was only slightly diminished, just enough that Zoro no longer had to devote every last drop of his will and concentration to resist. He felt as if he were standing on a blade-thin ledge—which, admittedly, was an improvement over hanging from a cliff, but the current would still be more than happy to sweep him away if he stopped fighting. _Like hell I'll stop._ Not when he could see what he was fighting for right in front of him.

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper were snuggled in a pile several feet away. Luffy's face was buried in Chopper's stomach, and his snores ruffled the soft brown fur. Usopp was underneath both, his arms wrapped around a leg that belonged to someone Zoro couldn't see—Brook's, he thought. He blinked, realizing that he couldn't see the rest of Brook because there was another leg blocking his view, this one much closer.

"Finally awake, Marimo?"

_Definitely sunny._ Sanji's hair gleamed brightly enough to be a sun itself, and the color made Zoro tense for a moment before he remembered the blond was long gone. "Wasn't sleeping," he mumbled. "Don't sleep anymore, remember?"

"Then you've been doing a damn good impression of it." Sanji's face fell into shadow as he leaned over Zoro. "Your shoulder's starting to look like a shoulder again, anyway, so I guess you're doing better."

His shoulder…? Fire lanced through him as he remembered the silver bullet and that last jump after being shot. _Damn. Why did he have to bring that up?_ He had barely noticed the pain until the cook had mentioned it. "What did it—no, never mind. Don't really want to know."

"Probably not," Sanji agreed.

Zoro's eyes drifted away from Sanji, settling on Brook's outstretched leg again. _Brook…_ Zoro shot upright—or tried to. The moment he moved, the world blurred, black creeping in again to join fresh spikes of agony from his shoulder.

"—ro! Oi, Zoro!"

"…Wha…?" Zoro tried to focus on the fuzzy yellow blob in front of him.

"Damn it, Marimo, you're lucky Chopper wasn't awake to see that! What the hell did you want to go jumping around like a fucking bunny for?"

"Brook…" Zoro struggled to turn his head. "The fruit…I—I had it, but…shit…" The image of the Yomi-Yomi no Mi bobbing in the water as it drifted away from him replaying in his mind. He had failed. He had chased it down, given everything he had, but in the end, it still hadn't been enough.

"Oh, that?" Sanji shifted to the side, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. "It's there. The others picked it up a few minutes before I found you, actually."

With Sanji out of the way, Zoro could now see Brook, asleep on the rough wooden deck with his arms wrapped protectively around a large round fruit. "You…found it," he murmured.

"That's right, so don't go tearing yourself apart over something that's not a problem."

Zoro stared at the fruit, unable to look away. He wasn't sure whether he was afraid the thing would disappear if he took his eyes off it, or if it was simply that moving his gaze elsewhere would be too great an effort. "…He hasn't eaten it yet?"

"He wanted to wait until you were back on your feet, so to speak. Didn't feel right eating it with you unconscious"—Zoro opened his mouth to argue and Sanji hurriedly pressed on—"or off in whatever ghosty la-la land you were in—"

" _La-la—_ "

"—since you were the one who got it, and all." Sanji hesitated. "You _did_ get it, right? Obviously the guy didn't just throw it in the ocean, so…"

A bubble of laughter forced its way up Zoro's throat. "…Actually, he did."

A moment of silence. "He what?"

"Threw it. Right past me." Zoro frowned. "He said he was supposed to let us take it. Dunno what he would have done if I hadn't caught him, though."

"He _wanted_ us to have it? But how the hell did he know—"

"No." Zoro finally tore his eyes away from the fruit and looked at Sanji. " _He_ didn't want us to have it. But someone else did."

"The fuck?" Sanji ran a hand through his hair. "All right, clearly you've got a few things to explain once your head's a bit clearer."

"My head's fine." It was his _shoulder_ that was the problem, and shoulders didn't have anything to do with his ability to think.

"That's a matter of opinion—"

"Oi."

"—but unless it's something critically urgent, you may as well relax and wait for the others to wake up first. This concerns all of us, right?"

"…Yeah." Travis's attention seemed focused on Luffy, but there was no indication that his mysterious "employer" felt the same. Besides, a threat to one member of the crew _did_ concern the rest of them. Now, more than ever, they had to look out for each other.

"Then we'll handle it together." Sanji adopted an airy tone. "So, how you feeling? Need more stories? I hope not, because Usopp already talked himself hoarse, and I have no intention of following in his footsteps." He snorted. "Doubt I could remember anything he didn't already cover, anyway."

"I don't need another story." Sanji's last words had made _him_ remember something, however. Something he'd been trying not to think about since the museum. He'd covered it up with a mental bandage and pushed it to the back of his mind, but it kept returning, a festering wound he couldn't ignore. _Ah, what the hell. I'm already injured._ _Might_ _as well take care of all_ _my wounds_ _at once. At least it'll be easy for him to finish me off, it it comes to that._ "Actually…I have one to tell you."

"Why would I want to hear about whatever ridiculous shitty dreams you've been having?"

"It's not a dream!" Zoro fought to keep his voice low. This was going to be hard enough without the rest of the crew waking up and listening in. "It's…something that happened back in the other world. While I was waiting for you all to come back. I…" His throat tightened.

Sanji's face lost its carefree expression. "Oi, this had better not be some kind of last confession. You can tell me whatever it is later."

"No. I've let this go too long already."

Sanji flicked the end of his cigarette into the water. "All right, I'm listening. Just stop looking like someone died."

"…Someone did."

Sanji froze halfway through pulling out a fresh cigarette.

_Damn. That might not have been the best way to start._ " _You_ did." Zoro took a deep breath. "And I was the one who killed you." _And_ that _might not have been the best way to continue._

Silently, Sanji's hands dropped to his lap. Their gazes met. _Explain,_ the blue eyes said.

So Zoro did. Telling Nami had been hard. Telling Sanji was nearly impossible. But he forced the words out, one by one. They came slowly at first, then faster, no less painful for their speed, but bringing a sense of relief that it would be over soon.

When he finished, there was quiet. Slowly, Sanji's fingers found a cigarette, and he stared out at the ocean while he smoked it. Zoro wanted to snap, to demand that the cook shout at him, attack him, forgive him—anything other than sitting in this suffocating silence. But he forced himself to stay still. It wasn't his place to take the lead here.

Sanji's cigarette followed its predecessor into the ocean, and the cook lit a new one before finally looking at Zoro. "Well. Guess that explains why you freaked when the whole possession thing came up."

"I never did it again," Zoro whispered. "Never, until that night at the museum. I was…relieved, when it didn't work with Luffy."

"Is that why I hated the idea, too, d'you think?" Sanji took a long drag on his cigarette, then shook his head. "Nah, I think having you in my head would freak me out regardless, no additional explanation necessary."

Zoro gave a weak chuckle.

"I was gonna let you, though, y'know."

Zoro's gaze shot to Sanji. "Huh?"

Sanji wasn't looking at him. "Last night. When I found you, I—" His fingers clenched around the cigarette. "I thought we were too late. You looked like you were gonna puff out any second. And I remembered telling Chopper how you'd be protected if you were inside a body, and I—" He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "The idea scared me shitless, but the thought of losing you scared me more, so I was gonna let you do it."

"But you didn't?"

Sanji met his gaze. " _You_ didn't. You weren't responding to me at all. I was screaming an inch from your ear, telling you to possess me, take my energy, anything, and you didn't so much as twitch. There was nothing I could do but wait for Chopper and hope you were still around when he got there."

"It helped," Zoro said after a long silence.

It was Sanji's turn to look confused. "Huh?"

One side of Zoro's mouth twitched upward. "The screaming. It helped."

Sanji flushed. "You heard me?"

"Not specifically. Not words or anything. But I could tell someone was there. It helped."

They sat in silence for a while. Another cigarette butt sailed through the air. When the cook lifted its replacement to his mouth, his hands were noticeably steadier than they'd been a few minutes earlier. "Well," Sanji said. "Good thing I found you, then."

"Yeah."

"That was a one-time offer, you know. The possession thing."

"Yeah."

"So you're not going to let anything like this happen again, you hear me? I don't want to make that choice again."

"Got it."

"And—" Sanji fumbled with with his lighter. "And you can stop getting hung up on stuff that happened hundreds of years ago, all right? We already know how much of an old geezer you are, you don't have to keep bringing it up."

Zoro laughed. It came out a little ragged around the edges, but it was louder than anything he'd managed so far. He felt lighter, free, in spite of his pain. "Shut up, brat."

"Make me, old man."

Zoro let the silence stretch out again before he finally said, "Thanks."

 

* * *

 

" _You look tired."_

_Luffy rubbed his eyes and pouted at Ace. "I'm asleep. So it doesn't matter what I look like, because I won't be tired when I wake up."_

" _Assuming these moments work like regular dreams."_

" _If I'm asleep, I'm resting, aren't I? Even if this isn't a normal dream."_

" _Sometimes your mind needs to rest, too. Sorry I can't give you dreams about an all-you-can-eat buffet instead."_

_Luffy made a face. "I'd rather have one when I'm awake."_

_Ace laughed. "Sensible of you." His smile dimmed. "You worried about Zoro?"_

No. _Zoro was strong. And he'd seemed much better after all the stories. He had talked and everything. Luffy didn't think he could have fallen asleep if he hadn't been sure Zoro was going to be okay. But…_

Yes. _He_ had _been scared. When he'd first seen Zoro… In spite of all his confidence in Zoro's strength and Chopper's abilities, he'd felt a moment of blind, raw terror when he'd first laid eyes on what was left of his friend. For an instant, he'd felt himself teetering on the edge of a cliff, the yawning abyss of a life without Zoro waiting below. His hands spasmed_ _at the memory, as if trying to latch on to that imaginary cliff so tightly he could never fall._

_He shrugged, unable to push either word past his lips._

" _I admit, it looked pretty close_ _for a while_ _there." Ace reached out to clap Luffy on the shoulder. "But I don't think you have to worry. He's too stubborn to leave you all alone just yet."_

" _Mm._ _" Luffy hugged his knees,_ _his chin settling into the dip between them as he_ _stared_ _absently at the sky in front of him. "_ _When we found_ _Zoro_ _, Brook…Brook tried to give_ _him_ _his fruit. So that he could come back, even if…"_

" _It was a nice thought." Ace stretched, leaning back on the stump he sat on. "I don't think it would have worked, though. How would he eat it?"_

" _If a weapon can eat a fruit, why couldn't a ghost?"_

" _Who knows? I've never—I mean, I can't imagine the chance to experiment has come up all that often."_

_Luffy tilted his head to get a better look at his brother. What had Ace been about to say? He had never what? He opened his mouth to ask._

" _Even if he could, would it still work if he doesn't have a body to be revived_ in _?" Ace continued. "Pretty sure it doesn't grow you a new one."_

_That was true. Briefly, Luffy wondered what had happened to Zoro's body. He'd never asked. After this long, though, it was probably gone, one way or another. "It wouldn't matter if it didn't give him a new body." He straightened, though his arms remained wrapped around his legs. "He's fine the way he is. As long as he's here."_

_Ace's hand touched his shoulder again, gently. "He's going to be fine, Luffy."_

_Luffy summoned a smile. "Yeah."_

" _So." Ace grinned at him again. "You have no problem with ghosts, huh? Good to know."_

" _Why?"_

" _Hmm. I wonder." Ace shrugged, still smiling. "It definitely isn't because I'm worried you'll hurt Zoro's feelings."_

" _Then—"_

" _So, just your fruit to go now, huh?"_

_The change of subject surprised him enough that he let it pass. "Yeah." He tried for a casual tone, but judging by the look Ace was giving him, it hadn't been his best effort._

" _What do you think you'll do once you've got it?"_

_Luffy shook his head. "I haven't thought about it." It was mostly true. He couldn't think about it, not properly, not yet. It didn't matter so much, anyway. His friends. His freedom. His fruit. With those, he'd happily accept whatever life wanted to offer. "Maybe I'll find wherever this place is, so you can't just disappear on me," he said, noticing the world around them beginning to fade._

" _You might not have to look as hard as you think."_

_Luffy felt a jolt tingle up his spine. "Are we close now? Where is it?"_

" _You're always close, Luffy." Ace's smile was the only thing he could see now. "You just have to look at things a little differently."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy the break from cliffhangers (It won't last ;P). Thanks for reading!


	20. Rest and Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who commented and/or left kudos. It means a lot to me.
> 
> Beta'd by sircerenade.

"Zoro!"

A metallic clatter followed Chopper's furious cry as the sword Zoro had been holding fell to the ground.

"I knew it!" Scurrying across the room, Chopper grabbed for the white sword just as Zoro's hand closed around the sheath. "Why can't you ever just do as you're told?"

Zoro rolled his eye and tugged at the sword. "Chopper, it's been a week. I'm telling you, I'm fine!"

Chopper clung to it. "And I told _you_ that you weren't allowed to make yourself solid until you're completely better!" He narrowed his eyes. "You're still more transparent than usual."

Zoro looked down at himself and shrugged. "Doesn't look much different to me."

"But you're not the doctor." Chopper's ears drooped a little. "Just wait a few more days. Please. You've never been hurt that badly before." Tears filled the corners of his eyes. "I was so scared. You were almost _gone_ , Zoro! We almost lost you—for good, this time! You need to be more careful."

Zoro sighed and released his hold on Wadō, slipping back to intangibility. Everything he'd done to retrieve the fruit had seemed worth it at the time, but he hated seeing that look on Chopper's face, and its echo on the faces of the rest of the crew. And their fears hadn't been baseless. He knew exactly how close he'd come to disappearing—and he also knew that despite his assurances to Chopper, he _wasn't_ fully recovered yet. The phantom current had lessened, but he could still feel its pull in the back of his mind, persistent in a way it hadn't been since the very beginning.

Even more troubling, from a practical point of view, was the spotty control he'd had over his tangibility for the past few days. To Chopper, it had probably appeared that his own abrupt entrance had caused Zoro to drop the sword. In fact, that had been the fifth time he'd lost his grip on it in the past hour, in addition to several close calls. He couldn't seem to stay solid for more than a few minutes. Most likely it was just a matter of time until he regained control, but what if the crew was attacked before things were back to normal? He _needed_ to train!

"There wasn't time to think about it," Zoro said. "I couldn't let that bastard take Brook's fruit."

A shadow fell across the doorway. "From what you've said, he never planned to get away with it in the first place," Sanji said.

"I didn't _know_ that at the time!" Zoro huffed out a breath. "Even if I had, do you think I should have just sat back and waited for the fruit to be delivered to us by someone who wants Luffy dead?"

"Of course not! But tearing yourself apart chasing after him doesn't do us any good, either. And he got a good look at your abilities in the process, which was apparently exactly what he wanted."

Zoro folded his arms. "Then what would you have done, O Master Tactician?"

Sanji shook his head. "I'm not saying there were better options available. Just…don't get yourself killed, okay? Chopper would miss you." He gestured to the reindeer with a thumb.

The corner of Zoro's mouth twitched. "Fine. Next time I'll take at least one second to think before I go with the reckless option."

"Hell, half a second would be an improvement." Sanji pushed away from the doorframe and gestured out at the sun. "Anyway, Franky's got the umbrella set up, so you can come outside now."

"I still say I'd be fine without it," Zoro muttered. "I've been in the sun often enough."

"We're not taking any chances," Chopper said firmly. "I know it's never bothered you before, but there are so many stories about daylight being harmful to ghosts that I just don't think we should risk it until you're fully recovered."

"It's just a stupid stereotype," Zoro muttered. It was true that he felt a little stronger—more alive, in a manner of speaking—at night, but it didn't necessarily follow that daylight was harmful. He'd lain in the sun for hours, mimicking sleep, and never felt anything remotely like the effect that salt and silver had had on him.

Still, humoring Chopper in this cost him nothing more than a little boredom, and it kept that look off his friend's face, so Zoro could play along for now. Chopper's ban on teleporting was more annoying. He was beginning to wish he'd left out the part about how tired the multiple jumps had made him when he'd told the story of the fruit's recovery.

At least he didn't have far to go. One slip through the wall (no need to bother himself with the cook-filled doorway), a quick leap-and-float over the water to the beach, and Zoro was relaxing in the shade of a large beach umbrella before Sanji and Chopper had even made it off the ship.

After a few minutes of listening to his friends' chatter, Zoro allowed himself to drift a little. It was the first time he'd done so since his injury, and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. He couldn't let himself go too deep, not with that seductive tug still at the back of his mind, but as long as he kept part of his attention fixed on the voices around him, he'd be fine.

"This is just what we needed," Nami said. She made a small noise of pleasure that put Zoro in mind of a cat stretching luxuriously. "A day off on an uninhabited island. No worrying about problems, and no one to bother us."

"C'mon, Nami, it hasn't been that bad," Luffy said. His hands were still bandaged, if not as heavily as before, but that wasn't stopping him from doing his best to help Usopp build a sand castle. From the size of the thing, Zoro was fairly sure they intended to make the entire crew sleep in it that night.

"I don't know," Usopp said. "What about that guy with the bananas?"

Luffy thought for a second. "Okay, the banana guy was annoying." His voice brightened. "But the day after that we got those guys that paid me in meat to fight them. That was awesome!"

"It was stupid," Nami said. "You shouldn't have been fighting again so soon."

"It was fine! I didn't use my hands once!"

"And what about your head? Or your shoulder? Or—"

"They heal slower if I just sit around and do nothing."

"That's not—" Nami sighed. "Never mind. Anyway, it's only been a week. Most of the people who'd be interested—whether they believe the story in the paper or don't but want a piece of us anyway—haven't tracked us down yet. It'll get worse, trust me."

"Then let's enjoy today while we can," said Brook. Zoro heard the clink of ice. "Would you like a refill, Nami-san?"

She hummed assent. "At least the mail hasn't come yet. Though if it's taking this long to get here, I don't want to think about how much—WATCH WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING!" Zoro opened his eye in time to see Nami's fist flash upward, and Brook staggered back, clutching his cheek.

"Yohohoho, my apologies, Nami-san!" Brook said thickly, his face dripping with tea. "I was just admiring your lovely new bikini—"

"Well, admire it from over there." She pointed to a spot on the far side of Sanji's grill.

"This island is lovely," Robin said. "You couldn't have found a better place even if you had been able to use the database on the last island, Nami."

Zoro was secretly glad she hadn't gotten the chance. Oh, he could see how convenient these new log poses were: able to hold several magnetic signatures, which could be swapped out at any island with a database; essentially, a multi-use eternal pose. But always choosing your destination ahead of time took away some of the fun of adventuring, even if all you knew in advance was the island's name, or climate, or how far away it was.

"But everyone on that island will know where we went," Usopp pointed out. "They've got to know which island comes after theirs. And look at this place! They probably come here for vacations all the time!"

Nami shrugged. "If I'd used the database, that would have left a record, and they'd know for sure where we went. There isn't going to _be_ a perfect solution. But I'm not asking to avoid them forever—as nice as that would be. I just want one day off. No fighting. No running away or hiding. No one around to attack us. No one wanting interviews or autographs or examinations. Just some peace and…"

She looked at Luffy and Usopp, who were putting the final fortifications on the castle, and Chopper and Franky, who were setting up a sand blasting cannon to attack it.

"…I suppose just 'peace' will have to do."

* * *

The ship arrived just as Sanji was taking the first batch of food off the grill. Zoro had been drifting again, but that only made him notice the additional presences sooner.

"There are people on the island," he announced, opening his eye.

The siege of the sand castle ground to a halt. The rest of the crew lowered books, drinks, and cigarette to stare at him.

"This island is uninhabited," Nami said, as though he might have forgotten this fact in the past few minutes. "There aren't any people. We checked, remember?"

"Well, there are now." Zoro pointed in the direction of the presences he'd sensed. "They landed to the north and they're heading this way."

"That's west," Nami said distractedly.

"How many are there?" Robin asked.

Zoro closed his eye again. "Fifteen," he said. "Plus two more on their ship."

Nami groaned. "One day. I just wanted one day." She glared balefully at Zoro, then Luffy. "This is all your fault, you know. If you two hadn't let things slip—" She broke off, shaking her head.

"What do you think this bunch wants?" Franky asked, leaning on his giant sand cannon.

"Doesn't matter; anything would be annoying right now," Sanji said. "Come on, better eat up before they get here. I'm not going to risk wasting the food."

By the time the intruders arrived, the beach appeared devoid of both food and ghosts. Though his existence was no longer a secret, Zoro found he had developed an aversion to showing himself to anyone other than his friends. A delayed activation of some sort of spirit instinct, or perhaps an old habit from his centuries of waiting on the island reasserting itself? He wasn't sure. The reporter who had found them on the second day had only exacerbated the feeling. Undeterred by the absence of a visible target, he'd hurled a steady stream of questions at Zoro about death, the afterlife, and the existence of ghosts and other supernatural entities. He hadn't lasted two minutes before Luffy and Sanji had booted him off the ship, but Zoro was in no hurry to repeat the experience.

His first sight of the party-crashers did nothing to change his feelings. A group of kids—or were some of them adults? Fuck, everyone looked like kids to him these days—clustered at the edge of the beach, and no sooner had they clapped eyes on the Straw Hats than a round of excited squeals and whispers started up. The Straw Hat's Jolly Roger was emblazoned on several articles of clothing, and Zoro didn't have to wait for them to reach the campsite to make out a blush on multiple faces.

Had they been a pack of fanboys they would have been chased off in short order, but unfortunately, eight of the fifteen were fan _girls_ , so approximately six seconds after their arrival, Sanji was dispensing drinks, autographs, and pictures without a trace of his former irritation.

At least they'd been polite, as fans went, Zoro thought. They'd been disappointed when told he wasn't available, but hadn't pressed, and if they had been slow to leave the beach after they'd collected their trophies, at least they'd left. There was still plenty of day left to relax in.

* * *

The second ship arrived ten minutes after the crowd of fans left, and contained a particularly persistent reporter who had to be kicked off the beach no fewer than sixteen times before he finally gave up for the day.

The third ship brought a group of local pirates, who were looking for a quick boost to their reputation and had convinced themselves that these new Straw Hats couldn't be anywhere near as strong as the legendary ones. Fortunately, all it took was a collective glare (and possibly a whispered threat from an invisible ghost), to send the pirates sailing back the way they'd come as fast as the waves could carry them.

The fourth ship came in the middle of the third round of food. This was possibly the most tolerable of the interruptions; the people on board had come to spend the weekend on the island, had had no idea the Straw Hats were there, and quickly departed, deciding to make camp on the other side of the island instead. They left a watermelon in exchange for a few of Sanji's kebabs.

The pirates brought by the fifth ship hadn't believed a word of the newspaper article. This potentially-endearing quality was ruined by the pirates' determination to crush the fools who'd had the nerve to make such an outrageous claim. Nami called a temporary halt to the day's "no fighting" rule, and five minutes later, ship number five was sailing away, carrying a crew of new believers. Very sore believers.

Despite the chance to let off steam, the crew's earlier carefree attitudes had taken a beating, and any hope of dessert improving the strained atmosphere was dashed by ship number six, which dropped anchor mere feet from Sunny and disgorged a number of huge bearded pirates absolutely spoiling for a fight. Luffy, for once, was in no mood to fight any more battles outside of his sand castle war, but was angry enough over his interrupted lunch that the intruders would likely have gotten their wish—if it hadn't been for the arrival of the seventh ship of the day minutes later. Ship number seven contained something with the potential to be much worse than anything they'd encountered so far.

"Hellooo!" A tall woman with shockingly bright pink hair and a smile just a little too dazzling to be genuine waved energetically at them as she trotted up the beach. One hand clutched a small den den mushi. Behind her followed a slim boy, stumbling under the weight of a pack easily twice his width; nine people who would have been unmistakeable as fighters even if six of them hadn't been carrying weapons; and a man and woman who appeared to be twins, both sporting hair like a candle flame and both toting den den mushi—larger ones fitted for video recording.

_More reporters,_ Zoro growled to himself. Though he'd never seen one that needed so many bodyguards before.

"There you are!" trilled the woman. "I'm _so_ glad we managed to catch up to you—you would not _believe_ how long it took to get _any_ information about where you might have gone when you left Windwave Island!" She tsked. "Those islanders don't understand that speed is essential when it comes to opportunities like this!"

Her irritation fell away like a dropped ice cream cone. "But never mind, we're here now! Goodness, you look _just_ like the pictures—" She glanced at Franky and Brook. "Well, _most_ of you, anyway. But I suppose we can work around that. Perhaps some face paint… Terrance!" She snapped her fingers, and the thin boy staggered forward.

"It's Teddy," he said wearily, swinging the pack off his shoulders and lowering it to the ground.

She flapped a hand. "It doesn't really matter, does it, dear? What matters is whether or not you can do the job." She returned her gaze to the Straw Hats. "Now, you'll all have to have some touch-ups—nothing _too_ extreme, our viewers appreciate a healthy amount of sweat and dirt, after all—just a little something to bring out your best features for the camera." She eyed Luffy. "Oh, it's _such_ a shame you're missing those scars! They add appeal, you know. Tommy, see if you can put those in."

" _Teddy_ ," the boy insisted. "And of course I can." He began unloading cases of makeup and brushes from the pack.

Nami found her tongue. "Now wait just a minute! I don't know who you people are, or what you think you're doing, but we—"

The woman stared in honest surprise. "But we sent you the details days ago! Honestly, we were rather hoping for a response, so we wouldn't have had to waste so much time tracking you down, but never mind. Even after a week, we'll still be one of the first to—"

"Lady, do you have any idea how much mail we've been getting since this whole thing blew open?" Franky asked. "I doubt we've seen whatever you sent, much less opened it."

And we're _not_ interested." Nami folded her arms. "If we wanted to give interviews, we would have given them to someone else already. We're trying to relax here, and if _all of you_ "—she turned to include the bearded pirates in her glare—"don't leave us alone and get off this island right now, things are going to get violent."

The woman's smile snapped back into place. "Of course they are! That's the whole point!"

Nami blinked. "Excuse me?"

The woman tsked again. "You really should have read that letter, dear. An _interview_ , honestly." She raised a hand to indicate herself. "I am Cecilia Rosewood." She paused, and her smile dimmed the barest fraction at the complete lack of reaction on the Straw Hats' faces, though the bearded pirates seemed to recognize the name. "Cecilia Rosewood? _Hellions of the High Seas_?" The blank looks didn't change, and she sniffed. " _Well_. If I'd had any doubt that you'd been in another world…"

The smile returned full force. "But never mind! So you've been missing out on the best entertainment of the decade. It's never too late to correct an oversight!" Cecilia clapped her hands briskly. "Now then, _Hellions of the High Seas_ is a tournament-style traveling combat show. Each episode, some of our brave warriors"—one pink-lacquered hand gestured to the fighter-types standing behind her—"test their mettle against some of the most notorious names of our age. And to the victor go the spoils, and all that. Hosted by myself, of course. It's really quite exciting!"

"A…TV show," Usopp said slowly. "You want us to be in a reality TV show."

"Well, of course! Who could pass up a chance at the legendary Straw Hat Pirates? It'll be our highest-rated episode ever!"

Nami had lost some of her hostility at the mention of "spoils", but the bearded pirate captain cut in before anyone else spoke.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," the captain growled. "I don't care if you _are_ with _Hellions_ ; we were here first. You're welcome to what's left of them when we're done."

Cecilia's eyes traveled admiringly over the man's impressive muscles, but there was sugar-laced annoyance in her voice as she spoke. "Aren't you cute. Benny, of the Whiskerando Raiders, aren't you? Your crew is on our shortlist for this season. I can move you up the list." The sugar took on poisonous tones. "Or I can make sure you never get on another list again. Think about it, dear."

The idea that not appearing on a reality show could be a credible threat was so absurd that Zoro barely restrained a laugh. Captain Benny apparently felt differently, however, judging by his flinch and muttered cursing.

"Wonderful!" Cecilia turned back to Luffy. "Now then, dear—"

"No."

Cecilia's smile turned steely. "Perhaps you don't understand. My show offers a unique opportunity to boost your fame and fortune. Any true pirate would jump at the chance!"

This time, Zoro couldn't suppress a snort of laughter. This woman thought Luffy, the _Pirate King_ , needed _her_ help to become more famous? He could think of a dozen things he'd like to say to that, but he'd give himself away in the process, and he was more certain than ever that he did _not_ want to show himself to these people. Fortunately, Cecilia didn't appear to have noticed his momentary outburst, though Teddy glanced in his direction.

"Maybe things are different now," Luffy said, "or maybe you've only met one kind of pirate. But all the best pirates I ever knew cared more about their crew and their dreams and their freedom than stuff like money or fame. And so do I."

"This isn't an either-or situation, dear," Cecilia said. "You'll still have all of that—you'll just be a little richer, with a new achievement to boast about. _If_ you can manage to win." Her eyes took on a triumphant light, sure that the implied insult to his crew's strength would have the desired effect.

And maybe it would have, once—but not with this Luffy, not on this day.

"No," Luffy repeated. "We didn't come back to be entertainment. We came back to have more adventures together. And you're interrupting one. Go away." He flopped back down behind the castle's battlements.

"You heard the man," Franky said.

Cecilia's lips thinned. "Well, that's truly a shame. But never mind! If you refuse to work with me, there's nothing else I can do." She turned and walked back to the rest of her group. "We'll just have to film unscripted!" Her people were moving before she'd finished speaking, the fighters charging forward while the camera twins circled around to find a good angle. Teddy hastily shoved his makeup supplies back in his pack and scrambled after Cecilia.

His swords were back on Sunny, and he might not be able to hold them for long anyway, but Zoro wasn't about to sit back and watch while his friends fought. He'd just have to be sneaky about it. His first order of business: get rid of the cameras.

He mentally reached for some of the long metal kebab skewers sitting at the edge of the grill, and was pleased to find that he could move them with minimal effort. It seemed the cook had been right: telekinesis was one of the most basic spirit abilities—simple enough to use, even if the spirit in question was injured and at a fraction of his full power.

His aim left something to be desired, however. His first two attempts went wide, and by that point, his efforts had been noticed.

"Is this one of their devil fruits?" The orange-haired man dropped his snail with a gasp as Zoro's skewer narrowly missed his hand.

"Don't be stupid," his twin snapped. She was doing her best to shield her den den mushi, while still allowing it a view of the battle. "None of their fruits can do something like this."

"Then maybe they have a new one!" His den den mushi's antenna broke off with a loud crack, and he jumped and reeled backward.

"It's the Pirate Hunter." Teddy's eyes were wide, his air of weary irritation vanished without a trace. "Didn't you read the article? Something like this would be no problem for a ghost." His eyes were glued on the next skewer as it slammed through the second antenna. "I _knew_ I heard something before!"

Well, if they were onto him already, he might as well run with it. Zoro brought three more skewers whipping up to hover between their eyes, then leaned in and, in his best attempt at a "scary ghost" voice, hissed, "Smart kid. Now get the hell off this island."

The orange-haired man broke instantly, scrambling away from the skewer and kicking up a trail of sand as he dashed for the shore. The woman was slower to leave, shooting a disgusted glance at her den den mushi before turning to follow her brother. Zoro had the distinct feeling that if it had still been operational, she would have tried to stay.

Teddy had backed away a few steps, but hadn't yet turned. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wouldn't want to be on a show like this in your place, either, but it's not like I could have talked Rosewood out of it, and if for some reason you _had_ agreed, it would have been a big boost to my career. But honestly, I mostly came because I wanted to meet you. Well, all of you, but you in particular. I couldn't believe it when I saw that picture in the paper. You have no idea how much I…"

"You were the type who went ghost hunting as a kid, weren't you?"

Teddy blushed. "I…might have, once or twice." He coughed. "I understand why you wouldn't want to let me see you, though. I'll go now. Sorry about all this." He waved a hand at the battle, then bowed in Zoro's general direction. "Thanks for talking to me, even if it was just to scare me off." He spun around, lugging his pack toward the boat. He glanced back several times along the way, as if in hope that Zoro would change his mind and become visible, even for a second.

_Sorry, kid. Not a chance._

He turned his attention to the baby den den Cecilia was holding. Rather than try to skewer it—it was so small that he'd probably either kill it or stab Cecilia…which might not be a bad thing, actually—he pulled the creature from her grasp and broke its receiver with his power.

Cecilia's scream was too short-lived to tell whether it was fear or outrage that caused it. One of the fighters was hurled from the ruined walls of the sand castle and hit her with perfect accuracy, slamming them both into the sand. One of the bearded pirates followed a moment later, just as they were struggling to rise.

"Leave some for me, damn it," Zoro grumbled. Rounding up his collection of skewers, he charged.

* * *

If those had been the show's best warriors, they needed to hire some new blood, Zoro thought, watching the two ships sail away with their cargo of unconscious fighters. The entire encounter had taken less than half an hour.

Still, they'd done a considerable amount of damage to the campsite. The sand castle was nothing but a memory. Several chairs, as well as Zoro's umbrella, lay in a pile of twisted metal and cloth, and Sanji's grill would need a thorough cleaning and some dent removal. However, they'd lost no food beyond a couple of drink pitchers, since Sanji hadn't had time to bring dessert over before their most recent interruption.

Nami and Zoro checked to make sure no other ships were approaching, Usopp found a blanket large enough for them all to sit on, and before long everyone had a plate of pie (Zoro's would shortly become Luffy's second plate) and was beginning to relax.

A shadow fell over the blanket.

"No!" Nami clapped a hand over her eyes. "No more! We've seen more ships today than we have in the past week! Give us a break already!" She sighed, still not looking up. "Well, what is it? Flying reporters? Sky pirates? Revenge-driven seagulls?"

"It's the mail," Franky said.

Plates and pie pans were snatched out of the way as three overflowing bags of mail dropped from the sky. The flock of mail coo let out a chorus of annoyed squawks and flew off.

"That's not our fault!" Chopper called after them. "We didn't ask people to send us so many letters!"

"What should we do with it all?" Franky asked. "Toss it in with the rest?"

"We could have a bonfire," Nami muttered darkly.

"These people cared enough to send us a message, Nami-san." Brook swept the last few crumbs from his plate. "I'll take a look. It will just keep piling up otherwise."

"If reporters' feelings matter that much to you, then knock yourself out."

Nami and Usopp heaved the bags onto Brook's corner of the blanket. Usopp decided to help, then Chopper, then Franky, and before long, they were all ripping open envelopes and packages. They sorted everything into three piles: keep (mainly fan letters), undecided (mainly requests for interviews—Robin had pointed out that one in-depth interview with the right reporter might stop the flood of requests from everyone trying to be the first to speak with them), and bonfire fuel (mainly offers for advertising endorsements and anything that sounded too creepy or annoying).

"Two down," Franky said, tipping the third bag's contents onto the blanket.

A rectangle of paper fluttered out of the pile. Zoro reached out and snagged it with a thought before it could blow away. The front showed a pearly gray mansion on a lush island, with a towering waterfall in the distance. Decorative script along the bottom read, "Innovation Falls". Beside it, in a neat, precise hand, someone had written: _via_ _Sailbridge Island_.

With a growing sense of unease, Zoro flipped the postcard over. The back side contained only two words:

_As promised._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta says this is a cliffhanger. I suppose it is, but it feels like a little one to me. Maybe because a couple of the ones coming after this are much worse. :P
> 
> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next one will probably be sometime in October at the latest. c:


	21. Mirrors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, big news: those of you following me on tumblr will already know this, but this fic is now completely written. In theory, anyway. I'll still be doing a good bit of editing, and I may come up with more scenes I want to add, but updates should be at least a little more frequent from now on.
> 
> Thanks so much for the comments and kudos. Knowing people want to read this story is super motivating for me and I appreciate you all.
> 
> Beta'd by sircerenade.

"I'm going."

"Luffy, it's obviously a trap!" Usopp dug his hands through his hair. "Or, no, actually—traps are supposed to take you by surprise. This is just him inviting you to come die!"

"I don't care." Luffy's head was starting to hurt. They'd been going in circles like this for most of the past hour. "I have to go."

"But there has to be something we can do besides just walking in the front door—"

"Why?" Luffy banged his fist on the sandy ground. "I'm tired of sneaking around! If this guy wants to fight me so bad, then let him. I'll kick his ass."

"Luffy, you haven't seen him—" Nami began.

"Yes I did! He was the ticket guy who wouldn't let Zoro in the museum."

"I meant you haven't seen him when he's not hiding behind a mask," she said. "He's not someone you can underestimate."

"What about me?" Luffy asked. "Are you going to underestimate me?"

"Luffy, that's not—"

"I know I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I'm a lot stronger than I was!" He was on his feet now, though he didn't remember getting up. "I barely need Chopper's medicine anymore, and except for after I fought Cactus, Zoro hasn't given me energy in months. Stop treating me like I'm going to break!"

Nami looked stricken. "That's not what I meant. I just—we need to think about this—"

"I _have_ thought about it! I've thought about it every day since we came back. This is the last one, Nami. We've got all the others. This is _my_ fruit, and now we know where it is, and I _can't_ just forget about it!"

"No one said you should forget about it," Sanji reasoned. "No one's saying you can't handle this guy, either. Look, if it's there now, it'll be there tomorrow. Taking a day or two to see if there's anything we can do to give ourselves an advantage isn't the same as giving up. You can bet they'll be spending the time until we get there doing the same."

"We should see if we can find out anything about this island," Robin said. "Who controls it, how many people live there, what towns it has, and so on. A map would be useful."

"I think Sailbridge is the island ahead of us," Nami said. "So we'd be going there anyway, though I don't know why he's throwing in an extra step when he could have just sent a log pose with his invitation."

"A pre-trap trap?" Usopp suggested.

"We'll find out when we get there, I'm sure," Robin said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Luffy said. "Let's get going!"

"The log pose won't be set until morning," Nami reminded him.

"For now, why don't we try to enjoy the rest of the day, Luffy-san?" Brook said.

"Great idea!" Usopp said. "There'll be plenty of time to sail toward certain doom tomorrow."

The idea of sitting around on a beach for hours when his fruit was _right there_ and waiting for him to come get it was almost unbearable. There didn't seem to be any other choice, though, so Luffy did his best to burn off his frustration by way of a vigorous game of tag.

 

* * *

 

Pulling the brim of her hat farther down, Nami stepped into the small shop that housed [island]'s log database. It was probably a futile gesture; with Luffy and the others running around the town completely disguise-free, it was only a matter of time until she was identified as well. Still, she could get this done much faster if she didn't have to fend off curious locals at the same time.

If this was even what they were meant to be doing. But the island seemed devoid of angry blonds or anything else suspicious, and the database was a logical next step since they were trying to find their way somewhere.

She feigned interest in a rack of romance novels while the couple ahead of her had a spirited debate over where to go for a vacation. She had to bite her tongue to keep from giving them advice. _Just keep your head down,_ she told herself. _And anyway_ _, maybe they_ want _to go to an island with near-constant thunderstorms. It_ _certainly wouldn't be a boring_ _vacation._

Eventually they finished and left, and Nami stepped up to the kiosk. _Innovation Falls_ , she typed, thankful that this database was self-service. If she'd had to give the name to an attendant, they might have had the whole island following them when they left.

The machine beeped sharply. _Restricted Port,_ the screen informed her in large red letters. _Please enter access code._

"What?" Nami slammed the heel of her hand against the database. "That jerk's message didn't say anything about an access code! Does he want to lure us to our doom or not?"

She took a deep breath. _Come on_ _, think. There must be_ some _clue_ _for me to work with. The island's in the database, so I'm on the right track._ She pulled out the postcard, inspecting it carefully. Was there a hidden message they'd missed?

Or…maybe it wasn't hidden at all. In a flash of inspiration, she typed in _as promised_. With a beep that sounded far smugger than any machine had a right to, the computer told her that that was not the correct code.

Nami sighed. "Well, it was worth a try."

_All right. If it's not in the message, then it has to be something we could guess. What do we know about this guy?_

_He's really strong. And he hates Luffy for some reason, even though he's never met him._

_Monkey D. Luffy,_ she typed. Wrong. _Straw Hat Luffy_ didn't work, either, nor just _Luffy_. Then she tried _Gomu-Gomu no Mi_.

Nami swore that the machine's beep was gleeful. _Incorrect code,_ flashed the screen. Then: _You have reached the maximum number of login attempts. Please wait for staff assistance._ It began beeping again, a shrill, repetitive whine that would have been more fitting for a fire station than a shop.

Nami swore under her breath as she debated the merits of running from the store. But before she could make a decision, a bespectacled boy with reddish-brown hair sprinted down the aisle and came to a halt by way of crashing into the rack of romance novels.

"Sorry," he gasped. He extricated himself from the pile of books and pushed past her to hit a few keys on the console. The machine stopped beeping instantly. "Sorry about the, um…" He gestured at the books. "I didn't see them. Or, no, I saw them, I just didn't _notice_ them, you know? I was paying attention to the machine, and to you, and suddenly there they were! I probably startled you, though, didn't I? So. Sorry."

"Uh…no, it's fine."

He bent and began reshelving the books without particular care as to whether they were the right way up or not. "That alarm is louder than it needs to be, don't you think? I feel sorry for the people who work here, having to listen to it every day." One of the books fell down again and he dived after it.

Nami blinked, her body tensing reflexively. "You don't work here?"

"Oh, no." He popped up again, laughing, and straightened his glasses. "I'm not cut out for this kind of work at all. I mean, I could handle the people well enough, I like people, but I couldn't stand just selling things and cleaning all day. I like to make things. Art, food, anything I can do with my hands. Well, almost anything. My friend loves engineering and he tried to teach me a bit, but it didn't really— Anyway." He held out a hand. "My name's Cedar, by the way."

Nami didn't take it. "You're pretty familiar with the database controls for someone who doesn't work here," she noted.

He rubbed the back of his head. "One of my uncles runs the database back on my island. The override is actually pretty simple."

"Maybe you shouldn't be turning it off, if you're not on staff. What if I wanted their help?"

"Oh, I don't think they'll be able to help you with your problem. That's why I'm here, actually."

Nami was two steps back with a hand on her Clima-Tact before he could blink. "What do you mean? Are you working with that blond guy? Is he here?"

Cedar raised his hands. "I'm not here to fight! I'm kind of useless at fighting, actually. And I wouldn't say 'working with'. I'm just doing a friend a favor. And no, Travis isn't here."

Nami's hand stayed where it was. "Your 'friend' wants to kill my captain. You'll forgive me if I find your taste in company questionable."

"No, I understand. I'd probably feel the same." He sighed. "He has his reasons. I'm not saying they're entirely rational ones, but I can understand why he feels the way he does. For what it's worth, I don't think he'd kill your captain. Use him as a punching bag for a while, well…" He grimaced.

"Yeah, I don't exactly find that reassuring. I don't suppose you're going to tell me what these reasons are?"

"It's not my place to say. I know that's hardly helpful, but—"

Nami waved a hand. "So? If you're not here to attack us, what do you want?"

Cedar dug a hand into the pocket of his vest. "I'm here to give you this." He held out a log pose. "The magnetic signature for Innovation Falls is on it."

"And this Travis didn't just send it with his note because…?"

"Officially, because the Falls is a classified location, and there'd have been a risk of it falling into the wrong hands," Cedar said.

"And unofficially?"

Cedar looked awkward. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. If you want his other reasons, you'll have to ask him." He smiled. "I wouldn't be a very good friend if I gave away all his secrets, would I?"

"I guess not." Hesitantly, she reached out for the log pose.

Cedar pulled his hand back. "Listen… Is there anything I can say to convince you to drop this? To just…forget about the Gomu-Gomu no Mi and go on your way?" His eyes looked bright behind his glasses. "Please."

"Of course not." She stared at him. "Why would you ask that, anyway? I thought your friend wants us to come."

"He does. Sort of. I just don't want—" Cedar sighed and held out the log pose again. "Never mind. Just…be careful, okay?"

Bewildered, she took the log pose. "That sounds like something you should be saying to your friend."

He smiled at her. "Just because I'm his friend doesn't mean I want you to get hurt. And I've tried. He won't listen. Not about this." He lifted a hand. "Well, maybe I'll see you again sometime." He stepped back—and sent the rack of books toppling for the second time. "Oh, crap—" The legs of the rack caught his feet, and he joined the books on the floor.

Nami couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her as she looked at him, sprawled amidst a sea of steamy romance covers, glasses askew.

Cedar looked down and started laughing as well. "So much for my grand exit," he said. Nami held out a hand to help him up, but he waved her off. "Staff'll be coming soon, especially after that crash. It'd be easier for you if you were gone by then, right? I'll take care of things here. They already think I'm a weirdo 'cause I've been hanging around the place for the last few days. A little more trouble won't hurt me."

"Don't be stupid." She snatched his hand and yanked him to his feet. "The books you can pick up yourself, though." As she was leaving, she looked back over her shoulder. "I don't know how that jerk managed to get a friend like you, but I hope he appreciates what he has." And with a wave, she left the shop.

 

* * *

 

"Is that it?" Luffy ran forward, leaping onto Sunny's lion head to get a better view.

"Must be." Zoro stared at the distant outline of the island. His mood had grown steadily worse over the past few days, and he hadn't been able to answer his friends' queries as to why. All right, so they were walking into a trap, and it was incredibly foolish to do so, but they'd walked into worse situations before, and he'd always been confident in his own power—and his friends'. Now, however, it was all he could do to keep himself from locking the rest of them on the ship and going in alone.

He knew his friends were strong. He knew better than anyone how much of their old power they'd regained in less than a year. But he couldn't seem to put aside that irrational spark of fear. Even if they could wipe the floor with the blond and whoever else was there nine hundred ninety-nine times out of a thousand, all it would take would be one mistake, one lucky break for the enemy. If the others stayed on the ship, then even if he failed, even if the blond shot him so full of silver that he evaporated on the spot, at least they'd still be alive. At least he wouldn't have to lose them again.

_Damn, all those years alone screwed me up more than I thought._ He shook his head, pushing away the feeling. What was he, a dragon? His friends weren't lifeless gold and jewels to be locked up and jealously guarded. They were a different kind of treasure. If he tried to hold them too tightly, he'd just lose them in a different way.

_I'll be there with them, though. And if anyone hurts them, they won't live to regret it. In this life, or any other._

Zoro's first impression of Innovation Falls was that it was high. If he craned his neck, he could see the edge of the lush greenery from the postcard, but below that was several hundred feet worth of sheer cliff, solid stone and utterly unclimbable.

"The entrance must be on the other side," Franky said.

"Great, so not only are we walking into a trap, the enemy even gets to dictate the route we take to get there." Usopp slumped against the rail. "We are so dead."

"If I had my fruit, I could get up there no problem," Luffy grumbled.

"If you had your fruit, we wouldn't be doing this at all," Nami reminded him. "Well, I guess there's nothing for it but to circle around."

With each second that passed, each bend of rock they sailed around, Zoro waited for a break in the cliffs. Some sort of cave, or inlet, or a slope down to a rocky beach. But the forbidding gray stone continued in an unbroken line, until Nami announced with frustration that they were back where they'd started.

"Does he think that if he acts like he doesn't want us to come, we'll forget that this is a trap?" Franky asked.

"Maybe part of the cliff is an illusion," Robin suggested.

"Then they should have a way to turn it off, or at least show where it is," Nami said. "They can't expect all their visitors to sail around in circles hoping to notice a wave passing through rock, or something."

With no better options, they began to circle again. This time, they scanned every inch of the cliffs, looking for anything that didn't belong. Five times Zoro went to check out suspicious objects, which turned out to be oddly-shaped rocks or, in one case, a brightly colored sea snail attached to the cliff.

They had completed perhaps three-quarters of their second circuit when something changed. Just ahead of them, several large spotlights popped out from a section of cliff that, a moment earlier, had appeared just as featureless and unremarkable as the rest of it. They shone with a brilliant red light, creating a blood-colored patch of ocean the size of a large ship.

Sanji flicked his lighter against a fresh cigarette. "I'm guessing that's the welcome mat."

"Which means they definitely know we're here," Franky said.

"But how do we get in?" Nami wondered. "Are they saying the entrance is underwater?"

"They might be hoping we'll sail into the cliff and break the ship to pieces," Robin suggested.

"Or it's a target," Usopp said nervously, "and they'll hit us with a bomb as soon as we get there."

Luffy stared at the red water. "We're checking it out."

Zoro put a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Let me go first. If there are any traps, I can find them without putting the whole crew in danger."

Luffy bit his lip, then looked up at Zoro and nodded. "Don't go too far."

"And no going underwater!" Chopper added, in his best I-am-the-doctor-and-you- _will_ -listen-to-me voice.

As if he needed the reminder. Then again, he'd willingly take a swim if the alternative was letting his friends get hurt, so maybe Chopper was right to be worried. "I'll be careful," he said, patting Chopper's head. Then he leaped off the deck and floated toward the red light.

He saw no obvious traps. There were no trip wires or laser beams. There were no weapons hidden inside the cliff face. If any bombs were in the water, they were deep enough that he couldn't see them from the surface. The only things that set apart this section of cliff were the lights and a small camera pointed at the red water. Zoro considered passing a hand through it, but destroying the camera wouldn't regain them the element of surprise, and it was possible their hosts would need it to let them in.

When he returned to the others, Luffy immediately ordered the ship forward. In spite of his inspection, Zoro couldn't help the knot of tension that formed inside him when the blood-colored light slid over Sunny's bow.

They stopped squarely in the middle of the light, and there was a minute of silence.

Luffy looked up at the cliff. "We should—"

A loud groan came from beneath them. Zoro ran to the rail and looked down to see the water churning around the ship.

No. Not just churning. Swirling.

"It's a whirlpool!" Nami yelled as everyone rushed to grab on to something.

"We're gonna die!" Usopp hugged the mast. "I _knew_ this was a trap, but no one listens to me!"

"We're not gonna die." Franky put a comforting hand on Usopp's back. "Maybe the entrance is below the surface."

Zoro floated out to have a look, hissing in discomfort as he was hit by the sea spray. At first, all he saw was water, the blues and greens breaking into white where they crashed against the ship. Then the vortex inched deeper and he glimpsed a flash of metal.

"There's a grate at the bottom!" Zoro called.

He heard Nami start to speculate on the purpose of such a thing, but the whirlpool distracted him by suddenly disappearing. A short jump saved him from getting drenched, and Sunny settled back into the water with a splash.

"It…stopped?" Brook hesitantly lifted his face away from the rail.

"What was the point of that?" Franky asked.

"There's something funny going on here…" Nami edged over to peer over the rail.

Usopp clung tighter. "I have a bad feeling about this." The deck began to vibrate, and he yelped and grabbed for Franky.

Water boiled around the ship. The shaking increased, and slowly, the ship began to rise.

Zoro's eye widened. _It couldn't be._ This island wasn't anywhere near Jaya.

The sea beneath the ship exploded, and Sunny flew upward in what was unmistakably an imitation of the Knock Up Stream. And it _was_ an imitation—it was far smaller than the real thing, and Zoro caught sight of machinery within the torrent of water, helping to lift the ship in the right direction. From his friends' screams, however, he doubted they were appreciating the difference.

Zoro shot upward, keeping pace with Sunny as it was blasted past the cliff. He was rewarded with a face full of water as the ship smacked down into a deep lake, but the water was fresh and the wave passed through him harmlessly.

Zoro returned to the deck. "Everyone all right?"

Luffy was laughing. "That was awesome!"

"I don't think my stomach made it up here," Usopp groaned, still clutching the mast.

"What an unpleasant experience." Brook coughed, wiping water from his face. "It was almost as bad as that amusement park rollercoaster."

"C'mon, Sunny's flown farther than this," Franky clapped Brook on the back.

"Yes," said Brook, after another cough, "but a Coup de Burst would be less unexpected. And drier." He gave a wry smile. "I may have my fruit again, but I'm in no hurry to die."

"Believe me, this was nothing compared to the real thing." Nami seemed more annoyed than anything as she wrung water from her shirt.

"The…real thing?" Brook asked.

"The Knock Up Stream," Nami said. "It's not a bad recreation, though, given its smaller size. Whoever made this must have seen the real one."

"Who would want to go through that every time they came home? And how are we supposed to leave?" Usopp looked down nervously, as if expecting a second jet of water to flip them back off the island. "What's wrong with a nice, friendly dock?"

"It wouldn't be the Grand Line if everything was easy." Sanji scowled at his sodden cigarette before tossing it away and reaching in his jacket for a new one.

"It should try it sometime, just for a change of pace," Usopp muttered. "A completely normal island would be stranger than all the weird stuff we usually see."

As nothing seemed to be in the process of attacking them, Nami declared a quick dry-clothes break. She dragged a protesting Luffy inside, leaving Zoro to keep watch.

Perched on top of the crow's nest, Zoro surveyed the lake. It was ringed by low hills bursting with plant life, many of the trees and larger bushes curving out over the water. To one side, a waterfall tumbled through a gap of dark rocks, feeding the lake. In the distance, he could make out a narrow strip of beach. Something waited there, glittering with reflected light from the water. He guessed it was about the size of a person, though he didn't sense a presence.

"Guess that's where we're headed," he muttered. Again, he felt the urge to go ahead on his own. But they were in enemy territory now. The lake might appear peaceful, but if he left the others, there was no guarantee they wouldn't be attacked.

* * *

It was a robot.

A sleek, faceless robot who lifted a shining silver arm at their approach and pointed toward the river flowing from the lake.

"Do we do what it says?" Chopper asked. His hooves were twitching, and Zoro could tell he thought the robot was cool, in spite of his nervousness.

"Or we could go ashore and walk," Sanji said.

"I don't like the idea of leaving Sunny with that thing," Franky said, nodding at the robot.

"And we don't know which way the building is," Nami said. "We don't want to spend all day hiking in circles through this jungle."

"Let me take a look." Zoro pointed upwards. "I can find it."

"Like I said, we don't want to spend all day hiking in circles."

"Shut up!"

Nami turned to Luffy. "What do you want to do, Luffy?"

Zoro could see Luffy weighing the options. A mysterious jungle with hidden dangers, a treasure hunt, and possibly a fight with a robot, if it didn't approve of them deviating from the intended course. All things that Luffy would find exciting. On the other hand, the river might be just as dangerous, and provided a quicker path to the treasure he'd come to find. And it wouldn't require leaving Sunny behind so soon.

"The river," Luffy said at last.

The robot's head turned to watch them as they sailed past. Zoro found the movement unsettling, given that it had no visible eyes.

 

* * *

 

Luffy stared up at the mansion as they walked along the paved road leading from the docks. It had looked small on the postcard in comparison to the waterfall, but it was nearly twice the size of the mansion he'd had in the other world.

He glanced behind him, but the dock and Sunny were already out of sight. They'd almost left her alone, the first time they'd have done so since their return. None of them felt like splitting up at this stage. But the sight of three more faceless robots waiting at the dock was enough to change Franky's mind.

"Don't worry," Luffy had told him. "We'll be back soon!"

"Yeah." Usopp had tried for breezy, but there'd been a wobble in his voice. "We'll bring you a souvenir."

One of the robots had started for the mansion the moment they left the ship, leaving the other two to stand silent guard over Franky and Sunny.

"It's too quiet," Sanji muttered, as the door opened into a wide hall, utterly devoid of life aside from three more robots. He glared at them. "Is there anyone here besides these damn machines?"

"There are people," Zoro confirmed. "Only two, though."

Luffy nodded. He could feel them, too. "Below us." He mentally revised his estimate of the mansion's size. If there were hidden floors below ground, the place could be three or four times as big as his had been. Or maybe the whole island was honeycombed with rooms, in which case… Well, he wasn't sure how many mansions that would be, but it was a lot.

"That blond bastard has to be one of them," Sanji said.

"And the other must be his mysterious employer," said Robin.

"What do two people need a place this big for, anyway?" Sanji wondered.

Luffy shrugged. "Rich people like space," he said. "It makes them feel important. I didn't need a mansion, either, but that's the way my parents did things." Then he grinned. "And if it wasn't, you guys wouldn't have come to work there."

"Yeah, well…" Sanji tapped ash off his cigarette. "That place was special. It doesn't count."

Zoro laughed softly.

The robots escorted them into a large elevator, which dropped three floors to open on a brightly-lit corridor.

Usopp eyed the soft gray carpet and the vase of flowers on a table halfway down the hall. "Well, that looks nice and normal and totally un-traplike."

Sanji put a bracing hand on his shoulder. "Too late to back out now."

"Don't worry," Luffy said. "We can do this." His stomach roiled with excitement and apprehension. His fruit was at the other end of that corridor. He could feel it. Could almost taste it—which wasn't entirely a pleasant experience, but he wanted it more than any piece of meat he'd ever had.

He strode down the hallway, his friends with him. The door at the other end opened of its own accord, and he noticed vaguely that the robots hadn't followed them. Either they figured the Straw Hats could find their way from here, or they were staying clear of the trap that was about to spring.

The room was dim compared to the corridor, but as soon as the door closed behind them, lights flickered on, illuminating a space that looked like it had been pulled from one of the science fiction cartoons he had watched as a child, all shiny computers and complex machinery and strange things floating in tanks. Only two things seemed out of place in the futuristic display: a basket of fruit, perched on one of the machines, and a high-backed chair that looked dismally shabby beside the sleek bank of computers on a wide dais.

"Welcome, Monkey D. Luffy." The chair swiveled around, and a man rose from it with all the grace and theatricality of a character from the aforementioned cartoons. "I can't tell you how delighted I am to meet the famous Straw Hat Pirates in person. Not something I ever thought I'd have a chance to do, short of inventing a time machine."

The man was tall and lanky, with plum-colored hair that stuck up in the middle like a halfhearted mohawk. His glasses glinted in the light as he descended the steps of the dais.

"Tell me, how was your ride up? I always find it rather thrilling, myself, though I admit it can't compare to the genuine article. You did at least recognize it, I hope? There are several more items I must show you—your assistance will be invaluable. I try my best, but for all its wonders, science can never keep up with imagination, and if the needed information is simply _not there_ , achieving complete accuracy is, well…" His voice was regretful, but his eyes sparkled, and a smile danced at the edges of his lips.

"But we will speak more on that later." A long hand reached for Luffy's face. "Truly remarkable. Your physical body appears identical to the original, aside from…." He ran a thumb over Luffy's scar-free cheek. "It's almost enough to make one believe in the existence of a god."

Luffy slapped the hand away, taking an involuntary step back, then felt annoyed with himself for giving ground so soon. He glared at the man. "Where's my fruit?"

The man smiled, his eyes raking over Luffy as though the fate of the world depended on memorizing every inch of him. "Oh, it's here, I promise you. I wouldn't have given up three gems from my collection if I didn't intend to complete the set."

"What the hell are you talking about, old man? I don't care about gems. I'm here for my fruit."

The man chuckled. "A figure of speech, Your Majesty. You see, I've had an avid interest in you and your crew my entire life. You brought about the end of a global empire that had stood for hundreds of years, turning even your bitterest enemies to your cause. Who could fail to be intrigued with such a man? All records of your lives, any item connected to you—if I do not own it, I am in the process of making it mine. Naturally, your devil fruits are at the top of that list."

"But you're happy to just give them up?" Nami asked skeptically.

"Of course. The chance to see them used by their original owners is well worth the loss." He nodded at Robin and Brook. "The return of your abilities is proof enough of my intentions. I can assure you that neither of those fruits would have made it into your hands if I wished to keep them from you."

Luffy's skin prickled. This guy seemed to be helping them, but something about him—the hungry light in his golden eyes, the possessive curve to his smile, the way he spoke about Luffy and his crew like they were a line of limited-edition collectibles—kept him from relaxing. Things were so much easier when the bad guys told you up front who they were.

"Don't underestimate us," he said.

"Oh, I'm not, believe me. I don't claim you would never have obtained them, simply that it would not have happened when it did."

"If you're such a big fan," Sanji said, "why didn't you eat one yourself?"

The man cocked his head. "What a strange question. Not everyone wishes to become what they admire. Such a desire could only end in failure: I learned years ago that no copy can ever replace an original. If the fruit could not be used by their true wielders, they were better off as part of my collection."

"You expect us to believe you've been helping us?" Zoro's tone was incredulous. "The guy you sent after us wants to kill Luffy!"

The man's eyes left Luffy for the first time, taking in Zoro's translucent form. "Ah yes, the ghost. I must commend you on your determination and loyalty, Roronoa Zoro. I doubt you could have remained in this world otherwise. Please forgive my lack of immediate interest. You see, to explain your presence here, one only needs to accept that such a thing as a ghost can exist. Hardly an unknown belief. However, even if one believes in reincarnation, it does not follow that a person born to an entirely different family should retain their original appearance. It should not happen, and yet it has. The memories carrying over are slightly less noteworthy, but only just.

"Still, being less remarkable than your friends is not the same as being unremarkable. There is a great deal I wish to know about you, I assure you."

Zoro stared. "That doesn't have a fucking thing to do with what I said! I want to know why you sent that blond bastard to attack us!"

"Theories can't be confirmed without testing them." The man smiled. "And as this particular theory was, as I mentioned, rather unlikely, it was necessary to obtain confirmation before proceeding further."

"He wants to kill Luffy," Zoro repeated, as if the man were a small child who had missed the point entirely.

"He wants many things he cannot have," the man said. "What matters is what he will do. And he will not kill anyone I do not wish him to kill."

"If you meant that to be reassuring, it isn't," Nami said flatly.

"If it's true, then the real question is, what are your intentions?" Robin said.

"Haven't I made myself clear? I wish to learn more about all of you—particularly your captain. The historical records are simply not an adequate source of information. They can't tell me what sort of person Monkey D. Luffy really was." He gave Luffy a half-bow of apology. "Or _is_ , I should say."

"We didn't come here to be studied," Luffy said.

"No, of course not." The man smiled at Luffy. "Still, I must ask you to indulge me in one small matter before your fruit is returned to you. Call it a final test." He pressed a finger to a device on his wrist. "Travis, you may join us now."

Luffy heard the rasp of metal as Zoro thumbed a sword loose. "What kind of 'test'?"

"Don't look so eager, Zoro. You've already had a bite at this particular apple." His gaze shifted to take in the others. "And I should warn you all now that I do not tolerate interference in my experiments. Any tampering will be dealt with swiftly. Just stand back and observe. I assure you, your captain will survive."

"If you think we're going to sit around twiddling our thumbs while you hurt Luffy—"

"Whether he is hurt or not depends entirely on him." The man looked at him then. "You do want your fruit back, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Then win."

To Luffy's left, a door slid open.

Back at the museum, the blond's bad mood could have been explained away by exhaustion or heat, his cold glare the result of dealing with too many annoying customers. Now, he wasn't even trying to hide. His icy expression had melted into flame, and his clenched fists trembled with restrained emotion as he crossed the room.

"Your moment is at hand, Travis." The man swept a hand toward Luffy. "I expect you to prove to me that the past thirteen years have not been a total waste of my resources. But do not forget yourself. You know what happens if he dies."

Travis jerked his gaze toward the purple-haired man, and Luffy knew instantly that whatever the blond felt toward him, if he could have chosen one person in the room to kill, it would not be Luffy who died.

"I _know_ ," Travis hissed through clenched teeth. "Just look after your own promises, old man."

"When have I ever broken a promise to you?" The voice was amused. "Or to anyone, for that matter?"

"Don't go trying to pass yourself off as trustworthy now, Sven. I stopped being that naïve a long time ago." He stopped and looked back at Luffy. "But don't worry. I've punched this guy a thousand times in my dreams. I won't pass up the chance to do it for real."

Luffy turned to the purple-haired man—Sven, the blond had called him. "So all I have to do is beat this guy, and you'll give me my fruit back?"

Sven spread his arms. "That's it. Provided you beat him yourself, of course. It would hardly be a fair contest if outside help was allowed."

"Luffy—" Zoro began.

"Zoro, stay out of this. All of you, keep out. I can do this."

Nami took a step forward. "But Luffy—"

"Captain's orders!" He turned back to Travis. "I don't know what your problem is, you bastard, but you hurt my friends. So I'm gonna kick your ass."

Travis's laughter echoed through the room, bitter and bleak and lacking any true amusement. "My problem? You want to know what my problem is?"

_Not really._ All he wanted was to get his fruit and leave. Luffy had a feeling it would be better not to say so, though.

"Then pay attention. I'll show you."

He began walking forward again. "I don't call out my attacks, as a rule." He cracked his knuckles. "It's stupid and childish. I'm not some comic-book superhero." Travis came to a stop, several meters still separating them. "But I think I'll make an exception, just this once."

He rotated his arm, eyes locked on Luffy. "You should appreciate this one." He flung his arm behind him.

And the arm stretched, flying back over the room that Travis had just crossed.

" _Gomu-Gomu…_ "

Luffy's eyes widened, shock slapping him across the face and leaving him rooted to the spot.

"… _no…_ "

He should move. He had to move, the attack was coming right for him! My _attack,_ his mind whispered. _My_ fruit _._

_Move!_ His legs were locked in place. _Block it!_ His arms could do nothing but shake.

"… _PISTOL!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you can yell at me now. ~~Just please be gentle X'D~~
> 
> Next chapter later this month, possibly?


	22. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was tempted to post this on Halloween (since it has ghosts and all), but I figure this is close enough and there will be lots of other fics being posted that day anyway, heh.
> 
> Big thanks to everyone who left kudos and/or commented. <3
> 
> This is the longest chapter of the entire fic. I've also rewritten it more than any other chapter. I'm still not fully satisfied, but it's not as bad as it was and I doubt I could make it better at this point, so here it is. I apologize to those of you who don't like long chapters. Also to those who don't like Travis, as he gets a lot of focus here.
> 
> Beta'd by sircerenade.

" _Gomu-Gomu no Pistol!_ "

He should have felt it. That fist slamming into his gut should have been the most painful thing in the world. That was _his power_ , _his attack_ —except it wasn't. And it never would be again.

But he barely felt the blow. He hardly noticed as his feet left the ground. It wasn't until his head impacted against the far wall that the pain came. It lanced through him like white-hot fire, jolting his body from its shock-induced paralysis. He dropped to the floor, coughing.

"What do you think?" Travis's voice seemed both too loud and very far away. "Did I do it right, _Sensei_?"

_Gone. It's gone._

Part of Luffy's mind continued to run in the same stunned circle like a dog chasing its tail, even as his thoughts stuttered into motion again.

His fruit had never been here, had it? Not as a fruit.

_He has my fruit._

This guy had obviously eaten it a long time ago, years before they'd returned to this world.

_It's gone. I can't…_

The punch had been perfect, as good as his. That kind of accuracy didn't develop overnight. Luffy knew that better than anyone.

_I'll never…_

"Or should I give you a longer demonstration? I'd hate to think I missed something, after twelve years of studying your attacks. Not that I haven't made my own modifications, of course."

_W_ _hy?_ The question filled Luffy's mouth in a hundred variations, until he felt like he was suffocating from words as much as from a physical blow. Why do this? Why lure him here with the promise of the Gomu-Gomu no Mi, if there had never been any chance of him eating it?

 

* * *

 

The bastard had hurt Luffy.

Seeing Luffy attacked with his own power and knowing that his dream of regaining his fruit was shattered ( _It doesn't have to be, though; one quick slash, and—but would Luffy want that?_ ) had been enough to bring flickers of red to the edges of Zoro's vision. Then Travis moved in again, before Luffy had even regained his feet, and Zoro snapped.

He tore across the room, drawing his swords in his first step. He forgot his surroundings, forgot the creepy man in glasses, forgot that Luffy had ordered him to stay out of it. All he cared about in that moment was that the blond bastard was hurting Luffy. He couldn't allow that. Luffy was _his_. The whole crew was his, and no one was going to take away what was his, no matter what he had to do to prevent it.

"Stop."

A click, a hiss, and white gas spewed into the air, filling Zoro's vision. It flowed over him, and—

Pain. The red fled from his vision as every non-existent nerve in his body screamed, as if it had been submerged in lava. A wordless, strangled noise escaped his throat. His swords hit the ground with a clang. The pain was easily as bad as when he'd teleported after being shot with silver, but the pull of the ethereal river did not come with it. On the contrary, the faint whisper that had dogged him for days vanished, and Zoro felt like he couldn't have taken another step even with the power of a hundred rivers.

He heard a whirring noise, over the shouts and thuds of Luffy's fight. His mind groped for the word, blundering through a haze of hurt. Fan. That was it. Fans made sounds like that. Fans, pulling the gas from the room. Already, Zoro could see shapes through the fog.

By the time the room was reasonably clear, the pain had begun to lessen. It went slowly, reluctantly, clinging like a needy child. But even once it had faded to a prickling ache, Zoro's limbs refused to move. He tried to turn, to shout, to reach for his swords—but it was as if he'd suddenly become a glass statue.

"Zoro!" Luffy's shout was choked, drawn on too short a breath, but as furious and panicked as Zoro had ever heard him.

"What did you do to him?" Chopper, in a higher-pitched echo of Luffy's rage. Zoro tried to look at him, but even his eyes wouldn't so much as twitch.

"I won't tolerate interference," Sven said. "I have told you this already; please try to remember." He stepped into Zoro's line of vision, eyeing him with mild interest. "What do you think of my ghost gas? I had to rush the development somewhat, but it appears effective. There will be no permanent damage, don't worry. You're far too interesting a specimen to destroy."

"You never intended to give Luffy his fruit at all, did you?" Nami demanded. "You were just trying to lure us here so you could make us part of your creepy collection!"

"I never lie. I said he could obtain the fruit here. He can. All he has to do is take what he wants—something that should be a simple task for any pirate strong enough to be called 'king'."

"To do that, he'd have to kill him!" Zoro couldn't see Nami pointing, but he saw Travis flinch at her words, just enough to send his next attack wide and give Luffy room to roll out of the way.

"Yes…" There was a hint of regret in Sven's voice. "Unfortunately, a non-lethal method of removing devil fruit powers is not among the many advancements made since your time."

"And you're all right with that?" Nami demanded. "If we killed him, right now, and took the fruit, you wouldn't lift a finger to stop us?"

"If one of _you_ were to try, at this precise moment, that would disrupt the current proceedings." Sven waved a hand at Luffy and Travis. "I can't have that. Afterward…my preference, of course, would be for Luffy to finish things himself, but ultimately, who performs the deed is of minor importance."

"You would let your own partner die?" Brook sounded shocked.

"Partner?" Sven shook his head. "He's simply a tool that has outlived its usefulness. I will regret the loss, but I've never been one to let sentimentality hold me back from better things."

"Shitty bastard!" Sanji shot into Zoro's view. He leaped, leg spinning toward Sven—

—A piece of machinery fell to the ground at Sven's feet, accompanied by a crash from somewhere behind Zoro. Confused cursing followed a moment later.

Zoro wasn't confused. He'd seen an effect like that before. How could he forget, when they'd met the former wielder of that ability just a few months previously?

"I see." Robin's voice was chilly. "You may not have eaten our fruits, but that doesn't mean you chose to pass up all devil fruit powers."

Sven gave her a smile. "Indeed. I required a fruit that would be useful to me in my work. If it had historical significance, so much the better. The Ope-Ope no Mi fulfills both functions admirably."

Zoro knew, though his captain hadn't yet said anything, that Luffy had thought of looking for Law's fruit after they had found all four of their own. Law was still a doctor in this lifetime, and it would surely have been useful to him. That dream was gone now as well.

Luffy appeared to have missed the revelation. Travis was pressing him hard, and he had taken heavy damage during the first few attacks. Luffy's movements, which had sped up as he caught his breath and overcame the initial shock, were slowing again. Zoro strained against the force holding him, desperate to move, but the effort was as futile as before. He tried to reach out with his mind, to attack Sven, trip Travis, anything, but his telekinesis was as frozen as the rest of him.

He had missed some of the conversation in his single-minded focus. A yelp from Nami brought him back to reality. It was nowhere near where her voice had been before, and he assumed she had also been relocated by the power of the Ope-Ope no Mi.

"No interference." Sven's voice held a trace of irritation now. "If I have to remind you again, I may actually become angry." He tapped his wrist device. "Since you are unable to wait quietly, you may play with these until I have time for you." There was another hiss as a door slid open somewhere out of Zoro's view. "Please enjoy."

What now? He couldn't see. Then Sanji kicked something into a wall and Zoro recognized the sleek metal body. He wanted to laugh at the idea of robots taking down anyone as strong as his friends, but there were a lot of them, and he was in no mood to take chances. After the first few that fell in his line of sight got back up with no apparent damage, Zoro began to feel an edge of concern, which only fed his fury. His vision was entirely red now. If he could have moved, neither Sven nor Travis would have lived to see the next hour.

But all he could do was watch. Watch as Luffy was pummeled with his own Gatling, his head cracking hard against a steel beam. Watch as his captain dropped to the floor and lay unmoving. Watch as the others finally finished off the robots, only to be moved by Sven's power somewhere he couldn't see. Watch as Sven formed a ring around him with a thick iron chain, ensuring he would be trapped there even after the gas wore off. Watch as Luffy was hauled away by the boy Zoro had confronted twice, but failed to stop either time.

He remained awake through it all, cursing his failure, unable, as a ghost, to slip into the relief of unconsciousness.

 

* * *

 

"… _ffy."_

"… _uffy."_

" _Luffy!"_

_Luffy groaned. "Go 'way." His head hurt too much to pay attention to insistent voices right now. Actually, all of him hurt too much. Why was that?_

" _Damn, he got you good, huh? C'mon, Luffy, you have to wake up."_

" _Nuh-uh." He recognized the voice now. It was one he actually_ wanted _to pay attention to, which made it all the more frustrating that his mind kept trying to drift away. "Can't talk to Ace if I'm awake."_

" _Yes, you can! Damn it, Luffy, I could help you if you would just—" There was a strangled noise, and Ace stopped talking._

" _If I would what?" Luffy gingerly propped himself on his elbows and peered up at Ace._

_His brother's face was twisted in a grimace. "I can't tell you. You have to get it on your own. But now would be an awfully good time to do it."_

" _What are you talking about?" Luffy scowled. He was in no mood to solve riddles with the way his head was pounding._

" _You'll figure it out, Luffy. I know you will. But first you need to wake up."_

" _Why?" He couldn't remember. Staying asleep until his body wanted to cooperate again sounded like a much better idea. How badly was he hurt, that he felt this terrible even in a dream?_

" _Because your friends are in trouble."_

That _got his attention. "What happened?"_

" _You don't remember?"_

_Luffy started to shake his head, but broke off with a hiss of pain. "No." He rubbed his forehead. "Everything hurts too much."_

" _I know. And I'd like to let you sleep it off. But you can't stay where you are, and you're running out of time."_

" _Time for what?"_

" _Listen, Luffy, don't try to get them free on your own. Go back to the ship first. There's help there."_

" _Franky's on the ship," Luffy mumbled. He wasn't sure where everyone else was, but Franky had stayed with Sunny. Why he remembered that, out of all the important things he'd apparently forgotten, he didn't know._

" _That's right. And not just him."_

" _Who else is there?" He didn't remember anyone else staying behind. Had someone new arrived?_

" _Zoro isn't the only—_ _"_ _Again, Ace cut off._ _The light around them began to fade, and Ace's voice took on a desperate note. "_ _Think,_ _Luffy_ _!_ _You know these dreams aren't_ _just dreams!_ _"_

_Luffy stared at him, a niggling suspicion growing at the back of his mind, but the light disappeared before his thoughts could solidify, taking his awareness with it._

 

* * *

 

When Luffy woke, his body hurt just as much as it had in the dream world, but his memories of what had happened were crystal clear. If he had needed reminding of how the fight had turned out, the grid of metal bars surrounding him gave him all the clues necessary.

It was strange. He should have known his own attacks well enough to avoid them, shouldn't he? Travis moved around more than he had, ducking and dodging, putting more emphasis on speed and agility than strength. But they were still his attacks. And he'd lost.

Remembering where his injuries had come from did nothing to reassure him. Now, in addition to the physical pain, there was a knot of worry growing in his chest. He hadn't seen the end of his friends' fight with the robots. They were strong, and normally he'd believe they could make it through anything, but after what Ace had said…

If they'd won, he wouldn't be in this cage, would he? And Zoro had been frozen, unable to help. Had he been aware of what was going on around him, or had the mystery gas stopped his mind as well as his body? Was he still there now, floating motionless in the middle of that room?

_I have to find him,_ Luffy thought. _I have to find all of them._ "Guess the first thing to do is get out of here." He sat up, stifling a yelp as his ribs gave a violent twinge. He touched them gingerly. "I still need to get stronger."

"Don't worry, you'll have time," said a sour voice.

Travis was leaning against the wall outside Luffy's cell.

Luffy leaped to his feet, ignoring his body's protests at the movement. "Where are my friends?"

"They're alive," Travis said. "Nowhere near here, of course. Sven's not stupid enough to keep you locked up together."

Luffy glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been wondering that myself. I certainly didn't come because I wanted to see your face again."

Despite his words, Travis didn't look away, and they stared at each other for several long seconds before Luffy spoke. "Let me out."

"If I could, don't you think I would have already?"

Luffy hadn't expected that answer. "Why would you want to help me?"

"I don't. But I want to die even less. You escape, I get to live until Sven gets you back."

Luffy drew a deep breath. "I don't need the fruit." The words hurt—after so many months of hope and anticipation, it was like ripping away a piece of himself—but his voice was steady as he said them. "As long as my friends and I can go on adventures together, that's all I need." He was willing to do a lot of things to get his fruit back. Killing wasn't one of them. How could he smile freely on those adventures if every use of his powers would be a reminder of the blood he'd spilled to get them? "I still want to kick your ass for what you did to Nami and Zoro, but I'm not killing anyone. Just let us go."

"You don't honestly think it's that easy, do you?" Travis shook his head. "You don't get it. You're the one he's wanted all along. He was willing to kill to get _me_ under his thumb, and I'm just the substitute. He'd think nothing of killing me himself and serving you the Gomu-Gomu no Mi on a silver platter. Or force-feeding it to you, if you still tried to refuse."

"Then why did you lead us here?" Luffy's raised voice echoed off the walls. "Why didn't you try to keep us away?"

Travis shrugged a shoulder. "He would have known. And I would have lost something more important than my life." He stepped forward. "Besides, he'd have found a way to get you here with or without me, and if I'd refused to help, I would have been killed without getting to fight you first." He gave Luffy a thin smile. "Lesser of three evils, you know? If I'm going to lose big, might as well take the path that gets me something for my trouble."

Against all odds, Luffy felt himself grinning. "You sound like a pirate."

Red flared on Travis's cheeks as he gaped at Luffy. "I…what?"

Luffy couldn't hold back a laugh, and the disconcerted look on Travis's face slid back into anger, even as his blush deepened. "You're awfully relaxed for a prisoner," Travis snapped.

Luffy hadn't forgotten—how could he, with those thick bars in front of him—but funny things didn't stop being funny just because the situation was serious. And Travis's reaction had been the funniest thing he'd seen since setting foot on this island. "It's true, though," he said. "You want to be free, don't you? You want to stay alive, and you don't want to lose whatever that important thing is, even if you have to do bad things to keep it. It's your treasure, right? That's more like a pirate than anything else, to me."

"I'll have to work on that." Travis glared at him. "I don't need any more reasons to be compared to you."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Luffy asked. "I never did anything to you."

"I know that! I'm not an idiot." Travis's hand came up as if to wrap around one of the bars, before jerking back into a fist. "But without 'Straw Hat', my life would never have been this screwed up, so forgive me if I fail at being objective when it comes to you."

Luffy stared, considering. He didn't know what to feel toward the blond. They were opposites in many ways. Yet if he reached through the bars and pulled on Travis's cheek, it would stretch the same way his once had. The way his didn't anymore. It made things awkward, uncomfortable. At the same time, though, there was a sense of…what? Interest? Protectiveness? Was that just because his fruit was in there somewhere?

"What did he do to you?" Luffy wasn't sure why he'd asked. He'd never been one to ask people about their lives. Even now, when he was more willing to listen when they _wanted_ to tell him, that hadn't changed. But this was different. He—and especially his fruit—were already involved in this story, and something told him that it was a story he should know.

The look Travis turned on him made Luffy certain that he had been waiting—hoping—to be asked that question, and that he would never have said anything without it. "You want to know?"

"Yes."

Travis let out a breath and straightened, his hands slipping into his pockets. "Fine. Better listen carefully, because I'm not in the mood to repeat myself." His eyes became distant, and his voice, when he began to speak, was softer than Luffy had ever heard it.

"Once upon a time, a little boy lived happily with his family. He was a bright kid, the sort who got in trouble for taking apart the family appliances to see how they worked. His parents were always proud, even when they were angry, and his little sister saw him as her hero, though she was barely old enough to know what that meant. They had no doubt he'd do great things one day, and when a famous scientist came to visit the boy's school, they thought it was a golden opportunity for his potential to be recognized.

"And it was. But not the potential they'd had in mind…"

 

* * *

 

He is six.

He stares excitedly at the shiny equipment the golden-eyed man has brought to his school. There are lots of lights and strange noises. The clear liquid the man had poured into one machine fizzes and changes color, and the girl beside him gasps as tiny explosions pepper the air above the glass beaker. He has never seen anything so exciting in his life, and he swears never to skip a day of school again. It will mean giving up the trips he sometimes takes when his mother allows him to come along on a job, but he cannot risk missing something like this if it ever happens again.

The beginning of the day had been less fun, when the man had taken a sample of blood from each of the children, but his arm doesn't hurt anymore, the candy in his mouth is sweet, and the machines are fascinating, so Travis forgives him.

_Travis raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think he wanted our blood?"_

_Straw Hat looked at him blankly. "How should I know?"_

_Travis's cheeks grew warm. Stupid. Why had he phrased it that way? Of course he wouldn't know. The reason was obvious to Travis, but Straw Hat, no matter how connected he was to it, had never heard this story before._

" _You can't guess? He was testing us." He pointed a finger at Straw Hat. "Looking for a kid with a power potential similar to yours."_

_Straw Hat blinked. "You can test for that?"_

" _Welcome to the future. So, you can at least figure out who had the highest potential out of all the kids he tested, can't you?"_

"… _You?"_

By the time the man finishes, Travis is one of the few paying attention. The explosions and flashing colors stop after a while and the man begins to talk about how important science is to the future. The speech is pretty boring, more suited to a room of investors than schoolchildren, in spite of the fact that Travis's school is far from the first the man has visited. Half the class has fallen asleep. Most of the rest are playing noisily. The teachers try to get them to focus, or at least be quieter, but the man doesn't seem to notice. He has barely taken his eyes off Travis since the end of the demonstration.

When the speech finally ends, Travis approaches the man. His stomach is tight with nerves, but he can't pass up a chance to talk to someone with such similar interests. The man smiles at him. He listens attentively as Travis chatters about his projects. He nods in all the right places and never once acts like Travis is too young for such things, like most adults do. It doesn't take Travis long to relax. They are in their own little world; the rest of the class might as well have ceased to exist.

When the teachers at last drag Travis away and the man prepares to leave, he smiles at Travis and promises they'll meet again.

" _Why?"_

" _Why, what?"_

" _Why did he want a powerful kid?"_

_Travis glared at him. Was it really so hard to put together? "Because of you."_

" _What do I have to do with it? I wasn't there!"_

" _I didn't say you_ were _! Look, you've heard Greysaber wants to form a new World Government, haven't you?"_

_Straw Hat scratched his head. "Yeah."_

" _Well, Sven's one of Greysaber's leaders."_

" _So?"_

" _So,_ you _were the main cause of the World Government's downfall, and because of that, Greysaber wanted to know as much as they could about you. 'If you don't learn from the past, you're doomed to repeat it' and all that. Though Sven also had a personal interest. He's descended from a pirate on one side and someone high up in the old World Government on the other—don't ask me who, he's never enlightened me—so ever since he was a kid his head has been filled with stories either worshiping you or demonizing you. Either way, he's obsessed. When historical records couldn't tell him enough, he decided to make himself a copy."_

" _A…copy?"_

" _He would have cloned you if he could," Travis said, "but samples for something like that are a little hard to come by a few centuries after the fact. So he decided the next best thing would be to find a kid with enough potential, feed him the fruit at the same age you ate it, and raise him to be as similar to you as possible."_

" _That's stupid," Straw Hat said. "I'm me. No one else is." He frowned a little. "And I'm still not the same as the me back then."_

_Travis wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or hit him. "Sven's not good with kids. You're smiling in most of your pictures, and I was a pretty happy kid back then—to him, that made us a personality match." He shook his head. "The plan was doomed to fail from the start. Unfortunately for my family and me, Sven didn't see that until it was much too late."_

" _What happened?"_

" _He killed my parents."_

* * *

He is six.

He helps his mother carry her luggage to the door, and she praises him for being so helpful. He doesn't want them to leave, but even as young as he is, he's used to it. His mother is a very famous archaeologist (he remembers how proud she was when he first learned to say that word), and whenever a new site is discovered, it is only a matter of time until someone wants her to weigh in. This time it's something big. A whole island covered in ruins, and the owner has asked for his mother to lead the team.

He does wish his father, at least, was staying this time, but the client is insistent his mother start immediately and the rest of the team has been unavoidably delayed, so Travis's father will act as her assistant. It's a role he's filled many times before. He doesn't know about old things the way Travis's mother does, but he knows enough to be helpful, and he's very good at carrying equipment and remembering important things like meals.

They hug him. His three-year-old sister is still asleep upstairs. They tell him to look after her, to be good for Rina while she's looking after them, and that daddy will be home in a week or two, just as soon as mommy has other people to help her. Travis knows they'll miss him and his sister, but they seem excited to be going to the island alone, like it's a vacation as much as a job. They'll probably be kissing a lot. He doesn't want them to leave, but he wants them to be happy, so he holds back his tears and puts on a big smile as they all say goodbye.

Two days later, their boat sinks in a freak accident before ever reaching the island. There are no survivors.

_He glared at Straw Hat, daring him to suggest it could have been an accident. He was ready with his account of how he'd learned the truth, about everything from the fake island to the fake (yet all-too-real) "accident". But Straw Hat simply waited for him to continue, his eyes flickering with something that hadn't been there when Travis had first started his story. Anger? No, that was ridiculous. Straw Hat had no reason to be angry on Travis's behalf. Perhaps something he'd said had reminded the pirate of his crew, and their current condition._

" _So, my sister and I were suddenly orphans. We had some distant relatives, and there was also a good children's home on our island. We could have ended up with either of them. But Sven stepped in and insisted he'd take care of us. Said he 'felt responsible'." Travis gritted his teeth. "Not that we knew any of this at the time. We were told our relatives didn't want us. That the home was full. So we were taken to another island, to an orphanage that wouldn't have been out of place in a horror story." Straw Hat's mouth opened as if he were going to speak, but Travis pressed on. This was only the second time he'd told the story, and telling it to the person who'd been the indirect cause of it all was somehow so much more satisfying than telling Cedar._

" _He left us there for a year. Long enough for us to learn what real hunger was. What real fear was. Long enough to make us desperate."_

* * *

He is seven.

He is hungry, though that is hardly unusual. He's used to ignoring it. His skin is blotchy with cuts and bruises, but he pays them no mind. He is tired, and that is what stands out most, perhaps because of Maya. She'd been sick the night before, and he'd stayed up late to take care of her. He'd had to; no one else in that place would look after his sister the way she deserved. The way their parents would have.

He slumps against the tree, eyes drooping. Falling asleep in the open is dangerous, but he's been fighting to stay awake for hours, and he's almost past caring by now.

When the shadow falls over him, he flinches. It's been a long time since people bigger than him have meant good things. But he looks up into a pair of familiar gold eyes, and as the man smiles, Travis begins to relax. The smile quickly shifts to concern as the man takes in Travis's appearance. A few dismayed noises and gentle queries, and Travis is pouring out a year's worth of troubles. He tries not to cry. He cries a little.

"Would you like to leave?" the man asks, and Travis feels a surge of hope. If it means leaving, if it means getting his sister out of this place that doesn't know how to love, he would do anything, and he tells the man so.

"Anything?" There is a gleam in the man's eyes. Travis takes it for excitement, since that's what is bubbling up within himself. He nods.

"What do I have to do?" He has to do something, he knows. Even people as nice as this man wouldn't turn down a chance to get something in return for their help.

The man smiles. It is a different smile than before. The concern has disappeared. "Work for me. I have need of an…assistant for a long-term project of mine, and I believe you will serve my purposes nicely."

Travis knows that most adults wouldn't want a kid helping them with important grown-up stuff, even one as smart as he is. But the man has never treated him like a child, and he must believe that Travis can do whatever it is, or he wouldn't have asked. The idea of getting to work with the sort of fancy equipment he remembers from that day fills him with a thrill he hasn't allowed himself to feel for a long time. But if he will be busy assisting the man…

"What about my sister?" He can't leave her here. He won't go without her, no matter how many shiny tools the man has.

"I'm afraid I can't have a little girl running around my facilities. It would be far too…dangerous for her." Travis begins to protest, but the man holds up a long finger to silence him. "You needn't worry. I've no intention of leaving her here. I know just the place, with some acquaintances of mine. The island they live on is the next best thing to paradise. They can provide her with everything she could possibly desire."

Travis swallows. _Separated._ He doesn't want that. He doesn't, but—

"Can't we both go there?"

The man chuckles. "Oh no." He kneels and looks Travis in the eye, suddenly serious. "You see, it's a rather large thing to ask of someone, raising a child. I would have to do something for them in return, which will cost me time and effort to complete. And I am a very busy man. With your assistance, however, I will have the time I need."

Travis swallows again. There is something stuck in his throat, a massive ball of hope and heartbreak and relief. He forces words past it. "You promise they'll take care of her?"

"As if she were their own daughter."

Big brothers are supposed to do what's best for their little sisters, aren't they? He'd promised to look after her. If he can't do it himself, he can at least make sure that someone else will. "Okay. I'll do it."

That new smile is back. "Then we have an arrangement, boy." He holds out a hand, just as if Travis were an adult. "My name is Sven."

"Travis." Sven probably knows his name already, but returning the introduction seems polite.

" _Didn't you want to stay with her?"_

" _Of course I did!" How could Straw Hat ask something like that? Hadn't he had brothers? Didn't he understand? "I didn't think I had a choice! Anything was better than staying in that place!" He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath._ Stay calm. _"You've met her, you know."_

" _Huh?"_

" _My sister. Maya. She works at the pirate museum. I know you met her, because she wouldn't shut up about you afterward."_

_Straw Hat frowned for a long moment, rubbing his chin. His face lit up. "Ah! The girl who thought I looked like me!" He grinned. "That was fun. I got to eat yummy food because of her. She's your sister?"_

" _I just said that, didn't I?"_

" _She seemed happy."_

_The corners of Travis's mouth twitched upward involuntarily. "She is. The people who took her in—they're not like Sven. I think they might actually care about her."_

" _But_ you _aren't. Happy."_

" _You've got a talent for stating the obvious."_

" _Why don't you leave, then?"_

_Was Straw Hat truly oblivious, or was the answer only obvious to Travis because it had shaped his life for over a decade? "This isn't something I can just walk away from," he snapped. "Sven made that clear a long time ago. Weren't you listening earlier? When I said I'd lose something more important than my life?" One hand reached up to rub the ruby cuff at the top of his ear. He hated the color, but it was Maya's favorite, and he'd rarely taken the cuff off in the two years since she'd given it to him._

* * *

He is seven.

Being Sven's assistant isn't what he expected. His mind had conjured up images of rooms filled with shiny machines and bubbling liquids and strange things in tubes. And Sven's house certainly contains all those things. But Sven quickly makes it clear that if Travis comes in contact with any of them, it will be because Sven is using them _on_ him. Travis has never been poked and prodded so much in his life. There is a strange hole in his chest that wasn't there before. Sven tells him it's nothing he needs to worry about. It doesn't hurt, and after a while he almost forgets it's there.

What Sven wants him to do is run, and climb, and fight. There is a thick forest surrounding Sven's mansion, and as soon as Travis is reasonably healthy, Sven begins to leave him in it. It's a little lonely by himself, especially when he has to stay out at night, but nothing bothers him and it's not that bad. Sven doesn't seem happy, though. He makes some calls, and a week later there's a big commotion outside the mansion. Sven doesn't let Travis see what's happening, but that night he tells him that the forest should be a bit more exciting from now on.

The next time he's in the forest, Travis meets a lion big enough to swallow him whole. He only gets away due to the thick underbrush that slows the beast down, and even so, he's nearly caught before he finds a crevice big enough to squeeze into. He stays there all night and most of the next morning before he gathers the courage to return to the mansion. Sven tells him he must do better than simply hiding or running away, and they devote more time to his fighting skills. Travis would much rather be building something than fighting, but he doesn't want to die, so he listens. The lion isn't the only new animal Sven has brought in, and none of them like Travis as anything better than dinner.

After he's been there three months, he's advanced to the point where he's only _worried_ about getting eaten rather than _terrified_ , even if he can't actually beat any of the animals yet. He comes down to breakfast one day to find nothing on the table except a strange purple fruit. It doesn't look very appetizing, but that year in the orphanage has taught Travis to never pass up a chance for food, even if it isn't the food he wants to eat. He slices the fruit and pops a piece into his mouth.

_Horrible._ The fruit is disgusting beyond anything he could have dreamed. Whatever it is, it can't be meant for humans to eat. He hurls himself forward, face screwed up to spit out the offending chunk of fruit—

A hand clamps over his mouth, keeping the fruit inside. An arm wraps around his chest, dragging him upright.

"Swallow." Sven's voice in his ear is soft and steely. "The taste is unpleasant, but the consequences if you do not will be far worse."

Travis's eyes go wide. He's heard Sven use that tone only a handful of times, but already he knows that nothing good comes from arguing when he uses it. He chokes the fruit down with a desperate effort and slumps in Sven's arms.

"Very good." Sven lets go, and Travis stumbles forward, collapsing against the table. "Continue."

"I…I have to eat _more_?" His stomach quails at the thought. He can't do it.

"There is no known benefit to eating the entire fruit that is not conferred by eating a single piece." Sven's voice is quiet, as if he's talking to himself. He looks at Travis. "But I will take no chances. _He_ consumed the entire fruit; therefore, you shall as well."

"Who's _he_?" Travis is only a little curious, but he hopes the question will buy him some time.

Sven smiles. "Someone you'll be getting to know very well. We'll start as soon as you're finished here."

As slowly as possible, Travis turns back to the fruit.

" _That was the day I 'met' Straw Hat Luffy." What would his opinion of the pirate have been if Sven hadn't been the one to introduce them? He couldn't imagine. Maybe he would have been a fan, like his sister. Maybe he would have been destined to hate him no matter what. There was no way to know._

_Straw Hat's eyes were fixed on him. His mouth opened, then closed, a frown crossing his face. Before he could work out what to say, Travis pressed on. He wasn't here for a conversation. He wanted to finish this story and leave the room, before it was too late. Before his one faint hope of a chance was taken away._

* * *

He is nine.

Over the past two years he's learned that the more he applies himself to Sven's training, and the better he performs during that training, the more time he is permitted to pursue his own interests. The first time he manages _not_ to hit himself with his new rubbery punch (it's more a lucky dodge than anything, but still counts as progress), Sven shows him to a room filled with old and broken machinery and tells him he can do as he likes with it.

Before long, Travis's room is full to bursting with half-assembled appliances and scattered tools. He works at night, mostly, after Sven has dismissed him, but on rare occasions he is granted entire mornings or afternoons to himself. One of these rare mornings finds him tinkering with a project on the mansion's rooftop balcony. He likes it there. It's quiet and out of the way enough that Sven is unlikely to bother him for trivial matters, so he's free to focus on his work.

He's disassembled the machine's outer casing and is carefully easing out the power core when a voice behind him chirps, "Whoa, cool!"

Travis yelps. The core slips in his hands, and a piece of the delicate inner casing shatters against the ground. "No!" He cradles the core in trembling fingers. "It took me all week to make that!" He sets it down gently, then whips around.

The face that greets him is wide-eyed and open-mouthed, framed by red-brown hair several shades darker than the blush blooming on round cheeks. "I—I'm sorry!" The strange boy's hands twist the hem of his shirt as his eyes dart from Travis to the damaged machine. "I thought you knew I was there. I've never snuck up on anyone before. I didn't think it was possible. I'm really, really sorry." His lip trembles. He looks at Travis, his watery gray eyes magnified by gold-rimmed glasses. "Can you fix it?"

Travis lifts the core, examining the damage. "Yeah. Eventually."

The other boy kneels beside him, biting his lip. "Can I do anything to help?"

Travis's first instinct is to clutch the machine to him and kick the boy off the roof. This is _his_ project. But the boy really does look sorry. So, grudgingly, he asks, "You any good with machines?"

The boy rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Not really. Except breaking them. I guess I'm pretty good at that."

Travis gives him a flat look. "That's not helpful." They stare at each other, then burst into giggles at the same moment. It's been a long time since Travis really laughed. He's missed it.

"I guess it's not," the other boy says once they stop. "I can't do anything like what you're doing with that thing. That's why I thought it was so cool. Did you make it all by yourself?"

"'Course I did." A proud smile breaks through his guard.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, yet. But it's gonna be a holoprojector." He can't be with Maya himself, so the next best thing is making sure she has lots of pictures of him. Happy pictures, not ones where he's one fall away from being lion chow.

The boy's eyes widen. "You can _make_ those?"

"Where do you think they come from? You can make anything if you have the right parts and know how it works."

"It's still amazing, though. I don't think my dad could do that, and he's a grown-up."

"Grown-ups can't do everything. You can probably do stuff he can't, too."

"I can draw better than him. But he's really not very good, so that's not saying much."

"Still counts." It's strange, talking to another kid. Aside from the rare times Sven takes him to visit Maya, he hasn't talked to anyone remotely close to his own age since he left the orphanage. Which begs the question…

"Who are you, anyway?" He should have asked that to begin with. "What are you doing here?"

The boy blinks. "I—" Travis doesn't know how it's possible for the boy's eyes to go any wider, but he manages it somehow. "I didn't say, did I? I'm sorry, I guess I forgot, what with…" He waves a hand at the damaged machine.

"I guess we found something else you're good at: causing distractions."

An awkward laugh escapes the boy's lips."I know a few people who'd agree with you." He smiles. "My name's Cedar. My dad had some business here, and your dad—"

"He's not my dad." Sven is nice enough—mostly—but he is _not_ Travis's father. He never will be.

"Oh." Cedar rubs the back of his head again. "Sorry, I didn't know. Um, anyway, the guy who owns this place—he heard my dad had a kid, and suggested I come along to meet you."

Travis stares at him. "Why?" He's learned a long time ago that Sven has a reason for everything he does. After all the strict schedules and limited free time, suddenly wanting him to have a friend feels out of character.

Cedar shrugs. "Well, it's just you and him here, right? Isn't it lonely? Maybe he thought you'd like to have another kid around for a bit." He scratches his cheek. "You'd probably prefer one who didn't break your stuff, though."

"You didn't break it."

"If I wasn't here, it wouldn't be broken, so it's the same thing."

"No, it isn't!" Travis doesn't know why Sven wants him to spend time with this boy, but he doesn't care. It's _fun_ , talking to someone who isn't decades older than he is. He isn't even upset about the projector anymore. The thought of working on it while chatting with Cedar makes his insides flutter in excitement. "I wasn't paying enough attention. Even if you weren't here, a bird or something could have squawked and made me drop it."

"I don't think a bird would have distracted you that much."

"You haven't seen the birds Sven set loose here."

Cedar glances nervously at the sky. "When you say it like that, I don't think I want to."

"You don't."

Before Travis knows it he's talking more than he has for years, telling Cedar about the island, about the other projects he's working on, about his sister, even a little about his past. He doesn't mention the strange fruit or the extent of his training. Time enough for that later, if there is a later. He wants Cedar to like him for himself, not for something he shares with a long-dead pirate. But there is plenty to talk about besides that, and Cedar is full of interesting stories himself. By the time the grown-ups come to find them, they are sprawled together on Travis's bed, and Travis is far more interested in knowing when Cedar will come back than why Sven wanted the boy to come in the first place.

" _Did you ever find out?" Straw Hat's face was pressed against the bars of his cell. Whether that was due to interest in the story or simply wanting a place to rest his head, Travis couldn't tell._

" _I can guess." The words tasted bitter in his mouth. "He did everything he could to give me an upbringing similar to yours. He failed miserably, but he at least tried to get some of the major points in there. And since this island doesn't have any convenient friendly bandits or runaway children, he brought in the closest thing he could find."_

" _Ace." Straw Hat's eyes were wide. "Sabo."_

_Travis gave him a sharp nod. "I'm fairly certain Cedar was intended to be my 'Ace'. I suppose I should count myself lucky Sven hasn't tried to kill him to 'motivate' me." A wry smile twisted his lips. "Most likely, by the time it could have been an issue, even he could see I was never going to be anything like you." His expression darkened. "Besides, he has another way to keep me in line."_

* * *

He is ten.

He's just returned from three days in the forest. He's soaking wet and bleeding rather badly. Yet another shipment of animals is loose on the island, and Travis would rather go a dozen rounds with the lion than face whatever it was he'd encountered that night again. He looks up at the mansion. He'll have a few days to heal, a week if he is lucky. Then Sven will kick him out and he'll have to do it all over again. And suddenly he's had enough. He can't take this anymore.

Once he's thought of leaving, he's surprised it's taken him three years to try. This place isn't as bad as the orphanage, but that's not really saying much. He's not seven anymore. He can take care of himself now, especially after Sven's training.

He finds Sven reading a book. He is everything Travis isn't at that moment: warm, dry, uninjured, and content. He glances up as Travis enters the room.

"A bit later than I expected, but I suppose the storm delayed you somewhat. Now, I suggest you clean yourself up before—"

"I can't do this anymore!" He's interrupted him. Sven hates being interrupted. He knows that, but he hurts, he's tired, he's hungry, and he can't tell if the drops hitting the carpet are tears, rain, or blood. He just wants this to _stop_. "I want to leave!"

Sven raises an eyebrow. His book remains open in front of him, as though what Travis is saying is no more than a momentary distraction. "Leave?"

"I can't do this anymore!" he repeats. "I can't pretend to be someone else anymore!" He shouldn't be yelling indoors either. He looks up at Sven, fighting to get his voice under control. "You don't have to do anything. Just—just let me take a boat." Boats are expensive, he knows, but Sven is rich, and he can't _swim_ to another island. "You can forget about me. I'll manage on my own."

"I see. You're trying to make this as easy as possible for me. How considerate." Sven pushes at his glasses with a finger. "And your sister?"

Travis feels a weight drop into his stomach. "The people she's with…they like her, don't they? They _must_ like her by now." He's seen how happy Maya is in her new home, seen how indulgent her guardians are, and he knows his sister. She'd win over anyone with a heart, given enough time. "But—but if they don't want her anymore, then she can come with me. I'll take care of her."

"Hmm. You must be quite grown up now, if you're ready to care for not only yourself, but another person as well." Sven sets the book in his lap and laces his fingers together. "In that case, I have just one more question."

Could it really be this easy? "What?"

"Why do you think I'd let you?"

The weight in Travis's stomach is covered in ice. "Let…me?"

"Our deal was your assistance in return for your sister's safety, correct?"

"Yes, but—"

"It stands to reason, therefore, that if you are no longer providing assistance, your sister is no longer safe."

How can his mouth be so dry when his hair is still dripping and his clothes squelch whenever he moves? "What are you saying?"

Sven lifts a hand and Travis is pulled close to the chair. When had Sven activated a Room? Sven's finger jabs at him, the fabric of Travis's shirt stretching as it's pushed into the hole in his chest. "Do you know where your heart is?"

Travis gulps. He's known for some time where the hole in his chest had come from, after accidentally seeing Sven removing someone else's heart. He kicks himself for forgetting that detail. Can he convince Sven to return it?

"With you?" The "pitiful child" look rarely works on Sven, but Travis gives it his best shot now, even as the icy weight flips inside him. If Sven refuses to give it back, what will he do? Could he leave the island without it, knowing that Sven would have that power over him no matter how far he went? Or would Sven go so far as to use it to keep him here? Would he rather die than stay? He's not sure.

Sven's lips stretch in a thin smile. "Oh no. I think it's much more fitting for your heart to be with someone you truly care for. It's almost poetic in a sense, wouldn't you say?"

Travis only needs two fingers to count the people he really cares for—living people, at any rate. But Cedar would surely have told him if Sven had given him Travis's heart, and Sven had promised Maya would never be told about any of this business, or what kind of life Travis was leading here.

"Who?" he croaks."Who has it?"

"Who else but your darling sister?"

He's shaking. Maybe he was before, but now there is anger as well as pain and fear. "You promised! You said she wouldn't be involved!"

"I promised she wouldn't know. And she doesn't. She remains blissfully unaware that she posses your heart."

"But—" Maya is only seven, but she's not stupid. She would notice if there were a pulsing, living organ in among her toys and dolls.

"She is also unaware that I possess _hers_."

His world stutters to a stop. "…What?"

Sven's eyes glitter. "I am not a fool. I knew the day would come when you required more incentive to stay than a childhood promise, so I took precautions. But your sister could hardly live the carefree life I promised with a mysterious hole in her chest, could she? Therefore, your heart was placed inside her, and hers has been safe in my keeping. It is up to you if it remains so."

Sven leans forward, the movement distressingly casual paired with his words. "I will make this perfectly clear, so that there will be no more misunderstandings between us. If, at any time, you leave my employ, your sister will die. You can do nothing to prevent this. It will not matter how far you run, It will make no difference whether you are with her or on the other side of the world. Search for her heart if you wish; you will not find it. The deal we made cannot be broken. If you disobey me, she will pay the price. Do you understand?"

His vision is blurry. Somehow, even after all the rough training, even with the way Sven's voice will sometimes get soft and dangerous, or his smile will lose it's warmth, Travis has still clung to the image of the kind man he'd met that day in school. The man who had rescued him and his sister from that awful place. He has ignored the tarnish growing on that image, has dutifully patched any cracks that appear. He's tried to believe their lives have turned around. That things are better now.

But this is a crack he can't patch. He can't make excuses, can't forget it's happened. Sven's words are far too blunt for that. He holds power over something more precious to Travis than life itself, and he doesn't care what happens to it. Travis feels something inside him shatter.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Answer."

Travis's throat jerks, trying to swallow. "I…understand."

"Do you still wish to leave?"

_More than ever._ "No."

Sven smiles. It is his usual smile, full of friendliness, but Travis no longer feels any warmth from it. "Excellent, Now, go clean up. Dinner will be ready soon, and you wouldn't want to get blood on the silverware."

Wiping away fresh tears, Travis nods and runs from the room.

Perhaps the reason he has never tried to leave before is because some part of him has always known running would be useless.

_Straw Hat was scowling. Travis knew the anger couldn't be on his behalf, but Straw Hat had liked Maya. He probably wasn't happy about the idea of her getting hurt. Something else they had in common. He wasn't sure whether to be pleased or upset at the thought._

" _Does he still have it?" Straw Hat asked. "Her heart?"_

" _Do you think I'd still be here if he didn't?" Travis retorted. Not that hiding from Sven would be easy—Greysaber controlled nearly a third of the world directly, and had influence with many governments in the parts it didn't. It would also mean taking Maya away from her happy, carefree life. But when the alternative was near-slavery for him and an invisible ax hanging over his sister's head, possibly for the rest of their lives, he was willing to make the sacrifice. She would forgive him._

_But all that was theoretical. As long as Sven held Maya's heart, no place was safe._

" _I thought about what to do for a long time," he said. "I wasn't ready to just give up and be his slave for the rest of my life. I looked for her heart, of course, but as he said, it was nowhere to be found._

" _Eventually, I decided that my best chance was to become powerful enough that he would_ have _to give it to me. Influential enough that if he tried to move against me, I could turn the world against him." He paused to see if Straw Hat would laugh at the idea. Cedar had been more than a little dubious, even as he'd promised to support him. But Straw Hat just nodded as if it were the most logical thing in the world and waited for Travis to continue._

_Travis's hand squeezed into a fist. "I couldn't do it with these powers. Anything I gained that way would just tie me further to the two names I was trying so hard to escape. I had to use my_ own _skills. I'd invent things. Huge, life changing things. I'd revolutionize the world, and not only would Maya and I be free, everyone would know my name—for something_ I'd _done." He shot a sardonic grin at Straw Hat. "Sounds like a child's foolish dream, doesn't it?"_

* * *

He is fifteen.

His hands are sweaty as he fumbles with the machine in front of him. A part slips from his fingers and clatters onto the table. He snatches it up and looks around furtively, but no one is paying him any attention. They're all busy with their own projects, assembling and testing and rehearsing the scripts they will use to attract interest and investors. Travis mumbles a few lines of his own as he steadies his hands and fixes the part into place.

The machine in front of him is not the world-changing invention he'd envisioned, but it is the first step. It will be enough to make him memorable, so the next time he has something to show, people will listen. Next time, he will be able to go to the scientists and investors directly, instead of running a booth at this conference like he's at a grade school science fair.

Things start off well enough. _Smile_ and _speak up_ , Travis tries to remember, and he mostly succeeds. His tongue stops tying itself into knots after the first few times he speaks, and he dares to think people might be starting to notice him.

He doesn't see the stocky man until he's inches away, squeezing into a spot at the side of the table. The sudden loss of his personal space is enough to rattle him, but it is the man's words that seal his doom.

"Hey, I know you! You're Professor Sven's Luffy!"

He recoils, backing away from the man as if he is a white-hot poker. He'd known being recognized was a possibility. Sven is practically a household name within the scientific community, and hardly unknown outside of it. Many of his contacts have visited Innovation Falls, and Sven has never been hesitant to tell people all about his "little project". But this is so sudden and direct and invasive that Travis's calm immediately begins to shatter.

He tries to protest. He gives his name—gives it again and again, though the man pays no heed. His throat feels like it is filled with tar, but he forces volume from it, more and more until he is nearly shouting. He tries to lead the exchange back on topic. He stumbles over half the words and forgets a dozen more, but he tries his best to tell the small crowd that has begun to gather about his machine and why they should want it.

The man closes the distance between them again, grabs Travis's cheek, and pulls.

"You see? He's got the devil fruit and all!" The man grins at the crowd. "The professor spent years looking for the right kid to use. The hair's a bit unfortunate, but I suppose you can't have everything."

Travis has heard such things before, from the guests Sven brings to the Falls, from scientists and Greysaber executives he's met on trips while working for Sven. He has always hated them, hated the way those words make him feel like he isn't a person, like he doesn't exist except as a piece of clay to be molded in Monkey D. Luffy's image. But hearing them here, at this convention that is supposed to be his big chance to someday escape it all…

"I'm no one's copy! I'm nothing like him!"

He shoves the stocky man as he shouts, desperate for space. He's aware, even as he does it, that it is a mistake. The man crashes into a neighboring table and Travis knows that the crowd no longer sees an engineer or inventor. They see a loud, hot-tempered boy, resorting to violence the moment he gets angry. Just like a pirate.

His cheeks flame as voices fill the air around him, some muttering, some nearly as loud as his own. Against his will, his mind sorts them into recognizable words.

"He really does stretch like rubber!"

"I don't think he's mature enough for an event of this importance. Don't they have an age limit?"

"Doesn't look much like Straw Hat."

"Yes he does, look at his build! The face is a bit off, maybe, but if he dyed his hair…"

"This is a serious gathering, not a children's science fair!"

"Hey kid, show us some of Straw Hat's moves!"

"I know Straw Hat was a great pirate, but from all accounts, he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. There's no way this kid made something worthy of being shown here."

"Did the Professor think he'd get more attention for his invention if he sent it under a kid's name?"

People. People everywhere, surrounding him. Talking about him, mocking him, poking him, pulling at his body, blocking his way out. His breaths come faster and faster, and before he is really aware of it, he's moving. He yells at them, pushes them away. How dare they suggest he hadn't created his machine? Sven isn't even good at engineering, not like he is!

"I'm not Straw Hat! You're all idiots if you can't see that!"

_Mistake. This is a mistake._ But it's far too late now, he knows. The damage has been done, and it feels good to say these things he has bottled up for years.

"I'll never be like him! I _hate_ him!"

If it weren't for "Straw Hat Luffy", he wouldn't be in this situation. He wouldn't be running from the hall clutching his damaged machine, leaving whispers and glares and bruises in his wake. He wouldn't have this strange rubber body, wouldn't have spent half his life being thrown into increasingly dangerous situations as "training". If Straw Hat had never existed, he would have grown up with his parents and sister.

In that moment, he wants nothing more than for Straw Hat to come back to life in front of him, so he could hit the pirate hard enough to return him to his grave.

 

* * *

 

Luffy understood now why Travis didn't like him. It wasn't fair, but emotions were tricky things. They didn't always behave the way you thought they should.

"It would have been hard to make a worse first impression," Travis said. "Not that I stopped trying after that. I've found one or two people in the past four years who are willing to give me a chance, but to most of them I'm just 'Sven's Luffy', the kid who's too thoughtless and hotheaded to be good at anything other than fighting.

"For twelve years, I've been compared to you. Since I was seven, only two people have ever given a damn about me that wasn't related to you. And now I'm going to lose everything because you couldn't stay dead."

"You're just going to give up?" Luffy asked. After fighting for years to get this far?

"You think I haven't tried to find a way out of this?" Travis grabbed Luffy's shirt, yanking him forward to collide painfully with the bars of the cell. "I've done what I could. Not everything can be fixed by punching the problem until it goes away."

"I know that," Luffy said. Now more than ever, he knew it. "But if you stop trying, then it definitely won't get fixed."

Travis's eyes narrowed. He let go of Luffy and stepped back, hands curling into fists. He eyed Luffy, then took a short step to his left. "If you're so confident, then start by getting yourself out of this cell." His left arm stretched back, then rocketed forward.

The punch slammed into Luffy's gut like an anvil. He gagged, then nearly blacked out as he collided with the back corner of the cell. He lay still against the bars, glaring woozily at the fuzzy shape that had taken Travis's place.

"A parting gift," Travis said. "Goodbye, Straw Hat. I sincerely hope we never meet again." The fuzzy shape moved away from the bars.

"You'd rather die?" Luffy croaked.

Travis's footsteps paused. "There are precious few things in this world I'd die for, Straw Hat. You aren't one of them." The footsteps resumed, and soon Luffy's only company was his pain.

Luffy groaned, heaving himself up on his elbows. When he'd first woken, his head had definitely been the part of him that hurt the most. It insisted it still was, especially after hitting the bars, though his back, shoulders, and gut were giving it a run for its money. But it didn't matter how much he hurt. He couldn't just lie here. _He_ wasn't going to give up. Another heave brought him to a slumped sitting position. His body protested the movement, and with a soft hiss, he leaned into the cage bars for support.

The bars groaned and shifted under his weight.

Startled, Luffy pulled back. Ignoring the fresh twinges of pain, he shuffled around to face the bars and pushed at them experimentally. The shriek they made as they scraped against the floor set his teeth on edge, but the bars moved, opening a few inches of space at the corner.

Excited, Luffy shoved harder, all pain forgotten. The bars gave another tortured groan; then, with a snap that echoed like a gunshot, a section broke off, clattering to the floor. Luffy stared. He'd been sure the cell was made of seastone, after Travis's reluctance to touch the bars—but how could it have been, if it could break just from having someone thrown into it?

The gap he'd created was small, barely big enough for him to fit. His legs went through all right, and some creative wiggling got the lower half of his torso through, but then he ran into trouble. He had flattened himself against the wall as much as possible, but there just wasn't enough _room_. He was stuck. The sharp ends of the bars dug into his cheek and chest, and something was poking his back, too. Probably the remnants of the bars embedded in the wall. To top it all off, his original aches and pains were becoming harder to ignore the more he moved around.

Luffy huffed in frustration and discomfort, shooting a sideways glare at the bar wedged under his left eye. He could work himself loose if he returned to the cell, but that would put him right back where he started. And he didn't want to waste any more time.

"Can't hurt any more than stabbing a knife into it," Luffy muttered. He blew out a breath, gritted his teeth, then yanked himself through, crying out when the bars sliced into his cheek and chest. He stumbled away from the cell and hit the floor hard. Stunned, he lay still. There was no time to waste, but his body rebelled at the thought of moving. _You have to_ _,_ he told himself. _The others are counting on you._ One hand reached out to grasp the section of bars he'd broken off, as though it were a lifeline.

As he pulled the bars toward him (or pulled himself toward the bars? It was hard to tell which was moving), his eyes caught on the outer edges, where they'd broken away from the rest of the cell. _Weird._ Luffy didn't consider himself an expert on broken metal bars, but he was pretty sure the ends didn't normally look like that. One edge was rough and jagged, but the rest was smooth and even, as if someone had tried to cut through the bars, then gotten impatient and snapped them once they'd cut far enough.

Or like someone had deliberately cut an escape route and left just enough intact to keep the illusion that the cell was secure until Luffy had hit the bars.

" _You think I haven't tried to find a way out of this? I've done what I could."_

Travis had done this. He _wanted_ Luffy to escape the island, to run so that Sven would have to keep him alive to try and get Luffy back. Leaving sounded like a great idea, but there was no way Luffy would go without his friends. And…walking away and leaving things like this didn't feel right.

Luffy heaved himself to his feet. Blood was trickling across his chest and seeping from the cut on his cheek, but he ignored it. Chopper could fix him up later. Right now… "Gotta find the others."

" _No! The ship!"_

Luffy jumped. The voice was like a breath of air, but he'd heard it as clearly as if it had come from his own mouth. And it had been familiar. "Ace…?" He'd never heard his brother outside of a dream before.

The ship. Right, Ace wanted him to go back to Sunny and get Franky and whoever the mystery help was. Luffy didn't like the idea of leaving the others here, even temporarily, but he was injured and hungry, and Travis had said they were being held in a different part of the mansion. Going back to the ship was the smart thing to do.

" _Go now!"_

_That's definitely Ace's voice._ With that thought, his earlier suspicion returned and flared into certainty. Strange dreams, invisible voices…it had to be. _Ghost._ His mind supplied the ending to Ace's words from the dream. _Zoro isn't the only ghost here._

"How?" Luffy whispered. It was easy enough to figure out how it had started. After all, he'd been right next to his brother when Ace had died. But he'd died himself since then. More than once, probably. How could Ace possibly… "How are you here?" His voice was almost as quiet in his ears as Ace's.

" _Later, Luffy. Go!"_ Ace's voice was louder now, as if coming from a radio that had just been brought into tune.

Luffy drew in a deep breath. "Later," he agreed, and the word was a promise.

It was probably a bad idea to simply walk out the door, but if there was another option, it was hiding too well for him to find. The ventilation shafts were far too small, and while there was a second door at the far side of the room, it led only to a storage closet filled with boxes and dusty machinery. Luffy had tapped hopefully on the walls in several places, but no hidden passageways revealed themselves. It was the main door or nothing.

"He could at least have left me food," Luffy muttered as he trotted out.

He had no idea where the exit was, but he figured he'd need to go up. They'd been underground when they'd met Travis and Sven, and castles—or castle-sized mansions—were supposed to keep prisoners on the bottom floors (except when they put them in towers, but he hadn't seen any). It didn't take him long to find an elevator. He dithered for a moment. Should he risk it, or look for stairs? The possibility of having to fight his way out from the elevator won over the certainty of having to run up multiple flights of stairs, and he darted inside.

The elevator deposited him into the same spacious hall he and his friends had entered through. There were no robots in sight this time, however. Luffy found that odd—wouldn't they want someone guarding the door? But then, the robots had probably been built by Travis. And Travis _wanted_ him to escape. It would have been easy for him to make them go somewhere else.

Luffy burst out the door in a wobbly sprint. "Ace," he panted, "you said there was more help on Sunny besides Franky. Who else is there?" He braced himself, half afraid that only silence would answer him, that he'd been wrong about where—and what—Ace was.

But his brother responded immediately. _"Not_ who _, Luffy. You've been holding onto it for a while now. Remember how excited you were when you told me?"_

Luffy frowned. ""What are you talking—" He stumbled as realization hit. "You want me to—" He shook his head, glaring at the air in front of him, though he could see nothing. "No! That's yours! I got it for you!"

" _But it's not just mine anymore, Luffy. It was Sabo's too, remember? And I can't eat it like this."_ Luffy heard a gusty sigh. _"I know you wanted your own fruit back. But this is fitting too, don't you think? I used it, Sabo used it, and now it's your turn. This way it stays in the family."_

Luffy bit his lip. "I don't even know how to use it," he protested.

" _It's easier to get the hang of than yours was,"_ Ace promised. _"And I'll be there to help you."_

Luffy took a deep breath. Ace's words made sense. And if he had to fight Travis again—or Sven—to get his friends out, having a devil fruit as powerful as the Mera-Mera would probably help. Still… He'd told Travis that he didn't need his fruit anymore. At the time, he'd meant it. But eating a new fruit would be letting go of his dream in a far more final way. Was he ready to take that step?

Luffy shook himself and started running again. It was better to make important decisions on a full stomach. Franky and food first. By then, surely, he'd know which path to walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the comments I've gotten over the course of this fic, I think most people were expecting me to go a different direction here (though he hasn't actually eaten anything yet, so I could be trying to mislead you…). I'll just say that the basics of the end of this fic were planned well before I ever started writing it, so whatever the outcome is regarding the fruit, it was pretty much set in stone back when I was still posting _On the Misty Shore_.
> 
> Next chapter should be sometime in November. When exactly depends on stuff like my schedule, my beta's schedule, how much I need to edit after the beta, whether I want to get the update in before Zoro's birthday or wait until after so it doesn't get buried under other fics, etc.
> 
> See you next time, and thanks for reading! c:


	23. Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who commented and/or left kudos on this story. c:

"We should just go in," Luffy muttered. The mansion's front door still appeared deserted, and he didn't have the patience to try to be sneaky about this rescue mission. Plans were Nami's job, or Usopp's, or someone who wasn't him. Making decisions was easy when it was something like whether to explore a new island, or whether to have another helping of meat. But other choices weren't so simple. Luffy had been making difficult decisions all day, and facing yet another one, all he wanted to do was throw his hands up and take the direct route. Crouching behind bushes doing nothing was making him twitchy.

"We can at least give 'em more than one target to chase," Franky said. "How about I make a _super_ commotion in the front while you sneak around the back?"

Luffy considered. "Okay. Except I'm going in the front."

"Luffy—"

"They're more interested in me," Luffy said. "I can draw attention easier."

"He's got a point."

Franky jumped at the sound of Ace's voice, and even without the sheer mass he'd had during his cyborg days, the movement was enough to set the bushes shaking. Once he'd relaxed again, he said, "And _you_ could waltz right under their noses and they'd never know."

"True," Ace said. "Unfortunately, they're out of range for me from here. Luffy would still have to go in."

"I'd go in anyway," Luffy said. "Besides, you couldn't get Zoro out." Even so, having invisible backup would be useful. Well, invisible to their enemies, at least; _h_ _e_ could see Ace just fine. He hadn't been able to during his escape, but his brother must still have been waking up then, because now he was clearly visible beside him. Ace was more transparent than Zoro, his glow unimpressive even in the shade, but he was _there_ , and Luffy fought a grin despite the serious situation.

Franky grunted. "Probably got him locked in some kind of fancy silver cage." He shuffled backward. "All right, I'll be the sneaky one. Give me a couple minutes to go around." He set off, crouching low to keep out of sight. Luffy hoped there really wasn't anyone watching from the front: the bushes rustled wildly as Franky pushed through them, making it easy to track his progress.

The entry hall was still empty of robots when Luffy and Ace reached it. That was good, but it would be hard to cause a commotion if no one was there to look. Should he destroy a few things anyway, to try to draw attention? But he was supposed to make them think he was here on his own, and randomly punching holes in the walls wasn't what someone on a rescue mission would do. He could take the elevator, though. Someone on a rescue mission wouldn't waste time looking for stairs if they were in a hurry. He hesitated when he saw the small round camera in the elevator's ceiling, but it was already too late to avoid it, even if he'd been trying not to be seen.

He decided to start with Sven's lab. It would probably be easier to find a place he'd been to before, and while Nami and the others had probably been taken somewhere else, Zoro might still be there, unless Sven had a way to move a ghost even if they weren't solid. Had the gas worn off yet? Would Zoro be able to move?

When the doors of the elevator slid open, Luffy knew instantly that he'd gotten the wrong floor. The hall ahead of him was sleek black marble, punctuated by tall spotlit pedestals and ending in a wide black door. Luffy squinted at the nearest pedestal, trying to make out the object resting on it. It looked like a stone head wearing a pair of square goggles.

"It's like the museum," Ace said. "That guy told you he had a collection, didn't he? I bet there's more on the other side." He nodded toward the door.

The elevator began to close. Luffy waved an arm in front of him, and the doors slid back with a disapproving hiss. "Should we look?" He couldn't sense anyone ahead, but he had no idea how big the room might be, and it was possible Sven would consider Luffy's friends something that should be added to his collection.

"Might as well." Ace was already moving down the hall. "If nothing else, it might be a good way to draw attention."

Like the hall, the room was all gleaming black and spotlit white. It stretched as far as he could see, with a veritable forest of pedestals holding mementos of the past. Some were achingly familiar. Others were scraps of long ago broken things he couldn't even identify. It felt far more like a graveyard than the museum had, and Luffy suppressed a shiver.

Something near the center of the room caught his eye, and he rushed forward with a squawk of outrage. Zoro's swords rested on an ornate stand atop a wide pedestal, locked behind a glass case as if they'd been there for years. Sven had taken them, just picked them up and carried them away while Zoro stood frozen, unable to lift a finger to stop him.

The room filled with the sound of shattering glass. Luffy scooped the swords up from the remains of the case and held them close. He didn't hear any alarms, but Sven might have the kind that didn't make noise where the intruder would hear. Probably better to move quickly now.

Ace, not having to bother with things like walking or avoiding obstacles, had been able to search the room far faster than Luffy. "No one here," he said as he rejoined Luffy. "It's all full of these creepy displays."

"Yeah, let's go." It had been a long shot, anyway. Still hugging Zoro's swords, Luffy jogged from the room.

The moment he reentered the elevator, the doors slammed shut—so quickly that they caught the edge of his cardigan, leaving him pinned against the door. Luffy yelped and tried to tug himself free, but the doors weren't budging. Shifting the swords to one arm, he stretched out the other and was pleased to note that he could still reach the buttons. No need to tear his clothes, then. That was good; Nami always yelled when he did that.

Ace slid through the wall and raised an eyebrow at Luffy. "You look comfortable."

Luffy pouted. "I'm stuck!" He pounded one of the buttons, then frowned when the elevator failed to move. Had he accidentally hit the button for the floor they were on? Though if he had, surely the door would have opened?

Ace rolled his eyes. "No, you're not. You can just—"

Luffy pressed a different button. Then another, then slammed a fist against the entire panel when those didn't provoke a response. Nothing.

Ace bent to inspect the panel. "It's gone dark," he announced. "Someone must've shut it down."

Were they trying to trap him here? It probably wouldn't take him long to break out, but every second he was here was another second they didn't have to deal with him personally, leaving more time for things like catching Franky.

Well, it wasn't like Nami had never been mad at him before. Luffy tensed, preparing to tear himself free. The elevator moved an instant before he did, jolting upward as it began to rise. Luffy stumbled forward as the doors opened and finally released him. He spun to see the brightly-lit hallway that led to Sven's lab—and a furious blond.

"What the hell are you doing?" Travis had grabbed Luffy by the collar and slammed him against the elevator wall before Luffy could do more than blink. Zoro's swords clattered to the ground. "I knew you were no genius, but I thought you'd at least have enough sense not to just stroll back into a place right after escaping it!"

Luffy shoved him away. "I'm not leaving my friends." Travis had to know that—if his sister needed rescuing, he wouldn't be able to walk away either, would he? Bending, Luffy gathered up the swords and tucked them tightly under one arm.

"That doesn't mean you march in the front door!"

Luffy scratched an ear. "Being sneaky is hard. You guys can't surprise me like you did before, so it's easier to just go find my friends and kick the ass of anyone who gets in my way."

Travis's eyes widened, then narrowed. "You think it'll be that easy, do you?"

"Well, yeah." Luffy shrugged. "This time I know you have my fruit, so I'm not gonna freeze up or anything." He clenched his fists. "And this time I'm fighting for my friends, not just a fruit. I won't lose."

Travis's jaw tightened. "If you think knowing about the Gomu-Gomu no Mi means Sven can't surprise you anymore, you're even more naïve than I thought. And arrogant, too, if you're so sure you're stronger than me."

"I didn't say I was stronger." How did you measure something like that, anyway? If two people fought a hundred times, and one person lost ninety-nine fights in a row but won the last one, who was stronger? "I said I wasn't going to lose."

"You—" Travis seized Luffy's cardigan and hurled him from the elevator. Luffy had a brief sideways view of the small table with its flowers before he bowled into it.

Shaking off water and glass shards, Luffy bounced to his feet. Thankfully, he'd managed to hang on to Zoro's swords this time. He ran a thumb along a fresh cut on his cheek and glanced at Ace, who had popped into view next to him. Ace frowned at the cut, and Luffy gave him a sheepish smile.

"Fine then." Travis was tugging a net-like glove of copper wire onto each hand. "I won't hold back anymore." A twitch of his fingers, and electricity sparked across his hands, leaving no marks on his rubber skin.

"That's so cool!" Why hadn't he had something like that when he was rubber? Not that he'd _needed_ it, exactly. But still. So cool.

Travis went pink. "I don't need any compliments from you!" He did a good job of sounding angry, but his mouth twitched upward despite his best attempts to scowl.

Travis's first punch was so fast that Luffy barely dodged in time; he wasn't so lucky with the second. Luffy had never experienced an electric shock before. He'd known, in a distant way, that they hurt, but in his first life, he'd been rubber before he'd ever encountered anything stronger than static, and he'd been far too insulated most of this life to have firsthand experience. Someone was screaming. Luffy realized it was him just as a third blow swept him off his feet and flung him down the corridor. Each impact with wall or floor made him feel like he was coming apart at the seams. _No! Gotta hold it together…_ Muscles limp and twitching, he let himself roll with the landing, tumbling to a stop outside the door to the lab, which slid open. Shakily, Luffy gathered the swords and scrambled through, Ace on his heels.

"Luffy!"

Luffy's head shot up. As he'd hoped, Zoro was still in the lab, and seemed to be able to move again. Luffy couldn't see any kind of cage around him—why hadn't he left? He was opening his mouth to ask when he noticed the massive chain on the floor encircling Zoro's feet, secured by a heavy padlock. He frowned. Knocking a door off its hinges would have been easier to manage while fending off Travis's attacks—if he moved the chain too much, he'd hurt Zoro. Could he throw him the swords? Would Zoro be able to cut himself out of such a small circle, with no room to move?

"…Ace?"

Apparently Zoro could see Ace, too. That made sense, he supposed—they were both ghosts, after all.

"Yo!" Ace grinned at Zoro. "We came to save you."

"How the—Where did you come from?" Zoro was gaping openly. Luffy grinned. Before he could answer, Ace gave a shout and Luffy was yanked sideways. Travis's fist crashed into the newly-vacant space, leaving a large crater in the floor.

"Long story!" Ace called to Zoro. "Talk later!"

Travis had pulled up at the unexpected voice, his brow furrowed as he looked for the source. In the sudden silence, applause filled the room.

"You're as bold as I would expect a pirate of your caliber to be," Sven said. His steps were casual and unhurried, at odds with the eager light in his eyes. "Returning openly to the scene of a previous defeat, completely unbowed! Most would call that foolish, but it's exactly the way a pirate king ought to behave. Perhaps you are finally ready to start living up to your reputation?"

"Why do all you people think I care about something like a reputation?" Luffy pushed away from Ace and launched himself at Zoro. Would one Haki-boosted punch be enough to shatter the chain? Iron wasn't as hard as steel, right? "All I've _ever_ wanted is to be free to go on adventures with my friends!" The chain was in front of him. It would be so easy. Just draw back his arm, and—

Travis slammed into him, sending them both tumbling sideways. "Don't get ahead of yourself!" he hissed. "If you think you can just ignore me—"

Luffy planted a foot in the other boy's stomach and shoved. "I don't care about you right now!" That wasn't what he'd meant to say—he'd lost a word somewhere between his brain and his mouth—but the damage was done.

For just an instant, Travis's face flashed with surprise and hurt, as though he'd been physically slapped by the words. Then the pain was buried by rage, and he bounced to his feet and hurled himself forward. "Don't you dare look down on me!"

Luffy threw himself sideways, but the move had been expected, and Travis didn't have to worry about something like arm reach. There was no electric shock this time—had the gloves run out of power?—but the punch still hurt, and the kick which followed made him cry out as he felt himself leave the ground.

He landed in a pile of metal rods and panels that had probably been something important a moment ago, and managed to scramble to his feet before Travis caught up with him. He barely blocked the next punch, but the one after that was met with one of his own, and they traded blows for a few seconds before Luffy managed to slip past Travis's guard and land his first solid hit of the fight, backed by Haki.

Travis choked and slid backward. He barely blocked Luffy's next punch, and skipped back out of range when Luffy stepped forward. Luffy followed, and Travis moved again, darting to the side before springing in for a punch, then retreating before Luffy could fully turn to face him.

"Stop stalling." Sven's voice cracked through the air. "You're acting like a frightened rabbit."

Travis flinched. "Just because I don't always rush in headlong like _him—_ "

"Your job is to get me data. I allowed you to indulge yourself earlier, but now I want to see how far you can push him before you fall. You won't accomplish that by hovering on the sidelines."

"You think I'm going to lose." Travis gritted his teeth. "You think my win earlier was a fluke, so you want a do-over."

"I think we learned long ago that you have no hope of measuring up to a legend. Without the element of surprise, what chance do you have, even with Luffy's current lack of a devil fruit ability?"

"I—" Luffy began.

"Stop comparing me to him!"

"You were designed to be compared to him." Sven cocked his head. "Still…it wouldn't do for you to feel unmotivated, and desperation and hope can do remarkable things. So…" Sven reached inside his coat. "If you _do_ somehow manage to win this time as well, I'll give you a present."

Travis froze as he saw what Sven held, a choked gasp escaping his lips. Luffy had stilled as well. He recognized that shape. A cube, the edges ever so slightly rounded, transparent and pulsing with the beat of the organ stored within.

Travis took a jolting step toward Sven, then another, his eyes never leaving the heart. "You…"

"Yes," Sven said. "In the unlikely event you manage to win, I will return your sister's heart to you." He smiled. "Needless to say, that does not guarantee her safety should you disobey me, but it would be quite a step forward for you, no?"

"If you're lying to me—"

"As I have told you countless times, I never lie. I'll even allow you to return it to her yourself."

Travis moved in a blink. Luffy somehow got his arms up, but there was no time to brace himself. The punch sent him crashing into something hard that collapsed beneath him with the sound of shattering glass. A kick caught him in the stomach an instant later, and he gagged, trying to draw breath.

"There must be something wrong with me." Travis had electrified his gloves again, and Luffy's hair prickled as he narrowly avoided a punch. "I can't believe I had to be talked into fighting you."

Luffy blocked a punch with his feet—his sandals reduced the shock to an uncomfortable tingle—then rolled upright into a fighting stance. "I don't want to fight you!"

A lie. He still remembered the bruises Travis had given Nami at the museum, could see the mess of silver light and faded lines that Zoro had been after the chase for Brook's fruit as clearly as if it had happened a moment ago. Hurting his friends wasn't something he could forgive so easily, no matter the circumstances. And if he was entirely honest, he was a little curious himself how he would fare against his old power, now that he was over the shock.

But making sure his friends were safe came first, and Travis wasn't the one putting them in danger right now.

"I don't care." Travis snapped an arm forward.

Now Luffy was the one evading, while Travis pursued. Throwing himself into the fight headfirst was exactly what Sven wanted him to do, and Luffy refused let him get his way. He had to throw a wrench into things, somehow. Well, Franky would be a pretty big wrench, especially if he managed to free the others, but there had to be something Luffy could do himself.

He leaped back as Travis charged. He would have been safely out of range of a normal person, but Travis's arm stretched the extra distance easily. Aim was harder to correct mid-strike, however, and the attack barely clipped Luffy's side.

Luffy ducked down to avoid the next punch, then shot forward, slamming both fists into Travis's stomach. Another machine met its end as Travis hurtled into it. He bounced back immediately, and Luffy recalled how little effect simple punches had on a rubber body. He'd have to remember to use Haki next time.

Travis closed faster than he'd expected, and Luffy scrambled away. A flash of silver caught his eye as he backpedaled. He grinned. He'd found his wrench. Now he just had to—

Travis's fist spun him to the floor, and Luffy howled as he was shocked again. He kicked upward, but met only air. A flash of blond hair, an explosion of pain in his side, and Luffy skidded across the floor. He was looking for Travis even as he tried to pull himself upright. It felt like he had been kicked a long way, but already Travis was nearly on top of him again.

Luffy watched him coming, one instant stretching impossibly far as if in slow-motion. Did he dodge? No time; his feet weren't yet under him, and Travis was faster than he was. Take the hit? But the aftereffects of those electrified punches would only slow him down more, and even if Travis didn't hit as hard as he himself did, there was still plenty of power behind the blows. His eyes flicked down to Travis's arms. _No Haki._ He darted a look at Ace. _Guess now's a good time._

As Travis's fist reached him, Luffy let himself dissolve. His body became a swirl of heat, his limbs crackling tongues of flame. It was even easier than during the brief lesson Ace had given him back on Sunny. A moment's thought, and his body reformed, upright and running full tilt toward Zoro's prison. He heard the crash as Travis's fist punched another crater into the floor. He heard a strangled sound from Sven's direction. Sweetest of all was the sharp snap, loud as a gunshot, as his fist shattered the chain around Zoro.

Zoro vanished. Luffy whirled around to see Zoro's swords leaping to his hands as he charged across the floor toward Sven. Sven raised a hand, and swords and ghost flew backward. Zoro moved only a few feet before stopping, but the swords passed through him and continued on, hitting the far wall with a ringing crash.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sven's voice had lost all amusement. "Why do you have that power?"

"My brother gave it to me," Luffy said. "You can't make me eat the Gomu-Gomu no Mi anymore. I don't need it. So there's no point killing him." He pointed to Travis, who had the lost look of an abruptly deflated balloon. His eyes, wide and conflicted, were fixed on Luffy.

"Nonsense! You dare—!" The silk in Sven's voice was frayed, his words nearly a shout before he reined himself back with a struggle. "You took that fruit from the vaults at Whitestone. I _allowed_ you to take it, because never in my wildest dreams did I think you would be so foolish as to eat it yourself and throw away the chance to regain your true power!"

"That's the thing about Luffy," Ace said. Travis jerked in the direction of the voice, but Sven seemed unable to look at anything but Luffy. "He's only predictable when it comes to food."

Sven's eyes were wide with fury. "Do you have _any_ idea what you've just cost me? All my plans…" He raised a hand. "Perhaps the best route now is to start over entirely. After all, if you reincarnated once, you can do so again. And I'm a patient man."

Sven's hand moved. Something creaked ominously behind Luffy, and he turned just in time to see a broken metal rod come flying at him, aimed directly for his heart. But he wasn't trying to keep the Mera-Mera no Mi secret anymore. There was no need to let it hit him. He just had to stay loose, let his body turn to flame as it passed through, like Ace had told—

Pain. Luffy screamed as the jagged end of the black rod buried itself in his shoulder, barely a handspan from its original target. Wait. Black? Hadn't it been gray a moment before? Gritting his teeth, Luffy looked at the rod just as the telltale gleam of Armament Haki dissipated, leaving only red-streaked metal.

_Oh. Right._ Luffy wrapped his hand around the rod and jerked it out. He stopped the bleeding with a flash of fire, but he could still feel the wound pulling at him as he dropped the rod and straightened. That had been stupid. He should know better than to fall into the trap of overconfidence that awaited unwary Logia users. He couldn't rule out Haki use just because Sven hadn't been holding the weapon in his hand at the time. _I won't make that mistake again._

Sven raised both hands, and a dozen pieces of metal debris rose into the air, flashing black one by one. A green blur swept him from his feet before he could complete the attack.

"Thanks, Zoro!" Luffy called.

The only answer was the ring of steel as Zoro pulled his swords to him again. He swung, and Sven barely managed to push him back at the last instant. Zoro snarled. Sven's power was slowing him down, but it didn't seem able to stop him entirely, and the swords inched forward. Sven had regained his feet, and as Zoro closed, he took a step back, then another. Zoro roared again.

Something wasn't right. Rage rolled off Zoro, more uncontrolled than Luffy had ever felt from him. "Oi, Zoro! You okay?" Again, Zoro said nothing. Had Sven done something to him while he'd been frozen? But he'd seemed all right before.

A flash from his Haki warned him just in time. "You didn't think we were done, did you?" Travis spun into a low kick.

Luffy jumped, drawing his legs up to avoid the attack, then kicked out, knocking Travis to the ground. "You still want to fight?"

"You having a new power doesn't change anything. He made the deal; he's not getting out of it. And I'm not about to pass up this chance."

A small, frustrated noise escaped Luffy's throat. He was worried about Zoro, but his friend didn't seem to be in any physical danger, at least. He could only catch glimpses as he dodged Travis's attacks, but Sven seemed to be completely on the defensive, backing away while various objects hurled themselves at Zoro. And Franky was most likely helping the others at this very moment. Keeping Travis busy was probably the best thing he could be doing right now.

All right then. He was done trying to avoid this fight.

Luffy brought his arm forward and let loose. Flames rushed at Travis with a roar. The attack was perfect, a roiling ocean of fire hungry and eager to consume anything in its path.

A path that missed Travis by a good foot, instead melting a computer console into glowing scrap. "Damn it!"

"C'mon, Luffy, you can aim better than that!" Ace called. "Just think of the flames as an extension of your arm. That should be easy for y—Oh, nice!"

Luffy had blocked another of Travis's punches. This time, however, he'd let his arm flare white-hot. Even as he shuddered from the shock, the glove's electricity sparked and died. It wasn't enough to melt the metal, but Travis screamed and leaped back, frantically ripping the glove from burning fingers.

"Does this mean you're finally getting serious?" Travis's teeth were clenched in pain. He eyed his remaining glove, then huffed and began stripping that off, too.

"Yeah." _Because you hurt my friends. Because I want to save my friends. Because I'm tired of running away. And because…_ "I want to know, too." Two quick steps and he leaped, a fiery fist drawn back to punch. Armament Haki raced up his arm, and the flames shivered as if in anticipation before darkening from red and gold to a deep, rich black.

"Which one of us is stronger?"

 

* * *

 

Everything was red.

_Mine. Mine! You will not touch him!_

He growled at the Threat as it backed away. _Close now. Soon._ It was tiring. Its power would not last much longer. Once it failed, he would make sure it never again laid hands on what was his.

_Protect._

Words left the Threat's mouth in gasps. He did not know their meaning, nor did he care. Words did not matter. There would be no mercy. He would keep his human safe. The Threat would not have a second chance.

_Destroy._

The Threat's hand moved. White clouds billowed up from the floor.

_Danger!_

He snarled. The white clouds had nearly cost him everything. They would not touch him again. He would never be helpless again.

Moving the air was easy. He had not done so before only because it had never occurred to him that air was a thing which could be moved. How limited he had been! The world was full of weapons; he simply had to reach out and take them. The clouds were gone in moments. A further effort ripped the summoning device from the Threat's hand and smashed it against the wall.

_Never. Again._

The Threat continued to back away, clothes flapping wildly in the wind. Its face had lost its arrogance, but now he caught something new. Fear. He breathed it in, excitement rippling through him. His grip tightened on the blades he carried. He could feel their thirst rising. Their rigid, human-made forms could not have been more different from his own, but their desire and his were the same. Together, they would taste the Threat's life. They would watch the light fade from its eyes. Watch as it finally understood the terrible mistake it had made. _My human. He is_ mine _, and you hurt him. I will not forgive that._

He lunged. The Threat vanished. He growled, swiveling to track its presence. _There!_ He took off. There was another human in his path. Not his. He swept it aside. _Enemy,_ his mind whispered. But it could wait. The Threat came first. His human _would_ be protected.

He was fast. It was unprepared. Steel flashed, and his swords tasted its blood. He hissed in annoyance. _Too shallow._ He hadn't thought it could still move that quickly. _More. Need more._

The Threat's pain-filled cries cut off as it disappeared again. Where—above! He launched himself up with a roar, carving the ceiling into jagged confetti. _Protect,_ his mind whispered, and he pushed the rubble up and away with a thought, so that none of it would touch his human.

His human. He stumbled, crouched on the edge of the hole he had made. _Protect what's mine. Destroy the Threat._ Something wrenched inside him. The Threat was escaping. Pursuit meant leaving his human alone with an enemy. Unthinkable. Impossible. But the Threat must die. If it escaped, it would bring harm to his human again.

_Protect. Destroy._ Some distant part of him was aware that he had once thought of other things, felt other things, desired other things. But the tiny spark of concern it held was swept away on a red tide of rage. _Protect what's mine. Destroy the Threat._ Nothing else mattered. He would not, could not, think of anything else until his human was safe.

The Threat was just ahead. There was a locked door between them, but he could feel its presence, like poisonous black ink staining white cloth. If it had remained still, perhaps he would have stayed where he was, too torn by his conflicting desires to make a choice. But it chose to flee, and the movement sparked something predatory in him. He shot after it, swords slicing the door to ribbons. It would not elude him.

_Time to destroy._

* * *

Left, right. Cut down another door. Not there. He growled. Too slow. He was moving too damn slowly. He should be able to pass through these obstacles with ease, but the swords held him back. They were still tied to the human world in a way he was not, and they limited him to human modes of travel. Made him _slow_. His hands twitched, preparing to drop them. His jaw began to slacken its grip on the blade in his mouth—

_No!_

The tiny speck of rationality left to him rebelled at the thought of tossing the swords away. Another, hungrier, part of him noted that while he could certainly kill the Threat without them, there would probably be much less blood. Less pain. That wouldn't do. The Threat needed to die quickly, but without pain, how would it know that it had done wrong? He would just have to move faster. The Threat was tired. It could not keep this up for long.

The Threat had gone up again. The rooms on this level were much emptier than the ones below. Good. He had been forced to cut through far too many useless objects during this chase. Objects didn't feel pain. They couldn't satisfy him.

A flash of movement ahead. Not long now. The Threat jumped again, but not far. _Soon._ He passed through an intersection, never hesitating at the many hallways. Such things could not confuse him. The Threat's black presence showed him the way clearly. Up again. Still mostly empty. He barreled down a hall, sliced through another door, charged into a room—

There it was. He had caught it at last.

There was more movement than he had expected. Voices. There were other humans in the room. They were between him and the Threat, and he could see the Threat running for a door at the far end. Were the humans helping it escape? He snarled. _Destroy_ _the Threat_ _._ They would not stop him. He would remove them, too, if they got in his way. He raised his swords.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I wonder if anyone can guess why I chose "Lightning" as the chapter title. There's a semi-obvious answer (Travis's electric gloves), but that's not why. It doesn't have anything to do with speed, either. The real reason is a little more obscure. ;)


	24. Crimson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who commented and/or left kudos on this fic!
> 
> Regarding last chapter's title—it was fairly subtle (especially as we were in Zoro's POV and he was more concerned with other things), but when he was moving the air while fighting Sven, that wasn't telekinesis, that was him tapping into an elemental ability (as mentioned in chapter 12). So, as of last chapter, Zoro is Air, and Luffy is Fire. And one of the more common/popular answers for "what would you get if you combined the elements of Fire and Air?" is…lightning. ;) The reason for _this_ chapter's title…should be pretty obvious, at least by the time you've read it. -cough-
> 
> One last thing: I'm not normally one to post a soundtrack for my chapters—for several reasons, but mainly because the majority of the music I write to is whatever inspires me to get in a writing mood, rather than anything that specifically fits the scene(s) I'm working on. But I'll make an exception here: for all the scenes with out-of-control-Zoro (particularly in this chapter but also the previous one), the track "Yousha Naki Shuugeki" from The Severing Crime Edge OST fits the mood very well, imo, and has my recommendation to listen to while reading. I had it on repeat for the majority of those scenes, and my fingers have never typed faster. :P (I'll be posting a playlist of the other music I used to my [tumblr](http://azuregold.tumblr.com/), if anyone's interested. Not all of it is as fitting, but there are some other good ones in there).
> 
> Beta'd by [sircerenade](http://sircerenade.tumblr.com/). c:

Chopper sighed in relief as Franky lifted him out of the cage. It had barely been big enough for him, and was made of seastone besides, leaving him unable to do anything except imitate a stuffed animal and moan. He could feel his energy coming back quickly, though. He wasn't badly injured—none of them were, as far as he knew. Except…

"Are you _sure_ Luffy's okay?" he asked.

"Don't worry." Franky grinned down at him. "He's taken a lot worse before."

That wasn't especially reassuring, and Chopper told him so.

"He was moving fine," Franky said. "And he has help."

"I can't believe Ace was here the whole time," Nami said. "If we'd known sooner…"

"Can't be helped, Nami-san." Sanji was stretching, rotating his legs to check for injuries. "If Luffy had told us about the dreams, maybe we could have helped him put things together, but at least he knows now."

"It seems like excellent timing to me," Brook said. "I wonder—"

Sanji whirled toward the door. "Someone's coming!"

No sooner had he spoken then a large shape appeared from thin air, hurtling into Brook and knocking him to the floor.

"What—" Franky twisted, trying to take in both the still-closed door and whatever had crashed into Brook.

The shape pulled itself up, and Chopper's hackles rose as he recognized Sven. The scientist looked very different from the last time they had seen him. He was sweating heavily and gasping for breath. His clothes were torn and bloodstained, and his hair, which had been very tidy aside from the half-spiked portion in the middle, was practically standing on end. His face was tight with pain and fear, and he barely spared Brook a glance as he heaved himself to his feet and staggered into a run, aiming for the open door Franky had come through on the other side of the room.

Chopper's fur puffed out farther, and he turned his head in the direction Sven had come from. Could Luffy have scared someone so badly? But Sven's wounds didn't look like the kind of injuries Luffy could inflict. They looked more like—

Usopp whimpered. "There's something else—"

"I know," Sanji snapped. "But—"

The door exploded inward. Chopper ducked, avoiding shards of wall, and he heard yelps as some of the others weren't so lucky. Something bright shot through the newly-formed hole in a swirl of wind, and Chopper heard a snarl. He shivered. That noise didn't sound human at all. And then he got his first good look at the thing.

"…Zoro?"

It _was_ Zoro, or at least it looked like him. But the eye was wrong. The shining silver-green was gone, replaced by a hellish red that made Zoro's face look like it was drowning in blood. He gave no sign that he recognized Chopper as he raised his swords.

Chopper couldn't move. His mind was still trying to process that this was _Zoro_ , that Zoro was about to _attack them_. It was incomprehensible. A devil fruit user swimming would have made more sense.

When the attack came, it was not the sharp steel of a blade. Just before Zoro's swords reached him, Chopper was snatched from his feet by what felt like a giant invisible hammer. He hit the wall with crushing force, and heard choked gasps from the others as they received the same treatment. Zoro blew past in a blur of silver and red, catching Sven just before he reached the door. Sven raised a shaking hand and Zoro's swords vanished, reappearing in the air a few feet from Chopper.

Zoro didn't even look. He flung a hand out, and his swords curved away from the floor and sailed across the room. He was already swinging as his hands closed around the hilts. Sven hadn't wasted time: unsteady footsteps pounded down the hall outside. He wasn't fast enough. A wave of compressed air hurtled from Zoro's swing, and there was a crash and a choked cry from the corridor. The footsteps stopped. Zoro shot out of the room without a backward glance, his swords already drawing back for another attack.

 

* * *

 

_Close now. So close._ There was more blood now. _Not enough. Need more._ And he would get it, soon. The Threat's power was running dry at last. He slashed. The swords stopped barely three inches from the Threat's skin. He swung again. Again. Two inches. Again. One inch.

The Threat broke and ran before his next attack. _Too slow._ His strike caught it in the back and sent it crashing through the door at the end of the corridor. He leaped forward. He was tiring of the chase. This time, he would make sure it could not run away anymore.

 

* * *

 

Chopper flinched as a shriek echoed from the hall. He couldn't remember any of Zoro's opponents making a noise like that. That scream would have been right at home in a torture chamber.

"Chopper, wait!"

He ignored Usopp's yell as he sprinted for the hall as fast as his hooves would carry him. Footsteps behind him told him at least some of the others were following.

He smelled the blood first. There was much more than there had been when Sven had left the room. The door at the other end of the hall was in pieces; not neatly sliced by Zoro's swords, but shattered by a heavy impact. Chopper didn't want to enter the room. He wanted to run back to Sunny and find all his friends waiting there. Zoro would pretend to tease him for having a bad dream, but he'd let Chopper fall asleep in his lap afterward, and everything would be the way it should be.

He didn't want to go through that door. He didn't have a choice.

On his first step inside, he slipped in something warm and nearly fell. The strange wind was still blowing, making it hard to catch his balance. Staring at the scene around him, Chopper felt sick. This…this wasn't Zoro. Zoro would fight, would kill if necessary, but this…

The lights must have come on automatically. Their bright glare danced red reflections across the few patches of floor and walls that were not yet painted with streaks and spatters of blood. Sven was still moving feebly, pulling himself across the room an inch at a time. One of his legs dragged after him. The other lay still in a pool of crimson. As Chopper watched, Zoro's swords flashed again, and Sven collapsed with a weak cry.

Zoro swept an arm sideways. The sword didn't seem to hit, but Sven was flung across the room like a rag doll. He plowed through several pieces of furniture in an explosion of splinters before his head bounced off the wall with a crack. He slumped to the floor, eyes unfocused. Zoro approached, and looking at him, Chopper wanted to cry. He'd seen Zoro make scary faces many times—for intimidation, because he'd been angry, or because his face just settled that way sometimes—but for the first time since they'd met all those centuries ago, Chopper was afraid.

"Stop it!" The words echoed shrilly, even over the howling wind, but Zoro didn't seem to notice. One sword lanced forward, impaling Sven's hand and pinning him to the floor. Zoro knelt and reached for Sven's face. His hand appeared to be glowing more brightly than the rest of him.

_Please_ _stop_ _. You shouldn't look like that!_

"Damn it!" Sanji flashed past Chopper. An instant before Zoro made contact, Sanji's leg struck out, driving toward Zoro.

 

* * *

 

He snarled as he turned to block the human's attack. The hand that still held a sword whipped around, and the human narrowly avoided the slash. Zoro wrapped his mind around the man and hurled him at the wall.

He had been so close! Another moment and the Threat would have been gone, the last shreds of its life ripped away one delicious piece at a time. But they had stopped him. He had ignored the humans after pushing them aside, but he couldn't do that anymore. They were helping the Threat. He glared, mentally altering their status. Enemies.

 

* * *

 

"That fruit…" Travis wiped a hand across his brow. "The way you're using it, I can't tell if you're hopeless or a natural."

"I'd say a bit of both," Ace commented.

The first few times Ace had spoken, Travis had been jumpy, frantically searching the room to try to locate the source of the voice. Luffy had gotten a few good hits in that way (and avoided a few more). Now, Travis's guard stayed up, and he didn't even twitch. Whether he'd figured out what—and who—was behind the voice, or had just decided to ignore it, Luffy didn't know.

Luffy smiled and sent another blast of fire his way. Truthfully, he would have liked to beat Travis without using the Mera-Mera no Mi. To prove that he was strong without relying on a devil fruit's power. But with Travis's speed and the range the Gomu-Gomu no Mi afforded, Luffy simply hadn't been able to get close enough to do significant damage.

The attack missed. Rather, the fire went where Luffy had intended, but Travis just barely managed to spring out of the way in time. One of the few remaining pieces of equipment took the blast instead, delicate glass and metal melting into an unrecognizable puddle. The air above it shimmered with heat.

Travis cursed. One hand tugged at his collar, fingering the zipper, before he let go with another curse and wiped his forehead again. Luffy grinned. The room was gradually becoming an oven, thanks to all his misses and the large amount of metal furniture and equipment. Nearly everything around them was either melted or glowing red-hot. Luffy still felt perfectly comfortable, but Travis was panting and his movements were a fraction slower than they had been a few minutes earlier. If it hadn't been for the hole Zoro had carved into the ceiling, providing an escape for the heat, the fight would probably already have ended.

Luffy roared forward, launching a normal—well, Haki-infused —punch. Travis's hand snapped up, and Luffy's fist smacked into his palm. "Don't get your hopes up." Travis's fingers closed around Luffy's fist. "It'll take more than this to tire me out."

Luffy jerked back as Travis swung with his free hand, but that grip was like a vise and the punch met his cheek despite his efforts. He let himself fall, yanking his arm downward and pulling Travis with him. As they hit the ground, he drove a flaming black knee into Travis's stomach, and was rewarded with a choked cry.

The front of Travis's jacket was blackened and crumbling as they got to their feet. If their positions had been reversed Luffy would probably have stripped off the remains, but Travis stubbornly drew the edges around himself, wincing. There was a moment of relative stillness, both of them trying to catch their breath, then they leapt forward at an unspoken signal.

Luffy was doing a decent job of countering, but even with the heat taking its toll, Travis's elastic limbs were able to get in more attacks, fists springing forward and back like balls on a paddle. A punch slipped through Luffy's defenses, then another, and another. Turning to fire to avoid them was no good; both of them were using Haki constantly by now. He could step back, but all this time he'd been trying to _close_ the distance between them—he didn't want to return to a long-range fight.

It was around the fifth hit that Luffy started to feel something was strange. He'd taken a lot of punches over his two lifetimes. Punches from people equal in power. Punches from weaker people who'd gotten lucky, or whom he'd chosen not to fight for one reason or another. Punches from people so strong it would have taken a miracle for him to beat them (something which had happened surprisingly often). These punches didn't feel like any of those. As far as Luffy could tell, the two of them were fairly evenly matched, yet Travis's punches, though painful, didn't _feel_ as damaging, even compared to weaker opponents. Was it because he was tiring? Had the hot room softened his rubber body enough to rob him of his strength?

Travis's next hit went low, and Luffy gagged as it caught him in the stomach. He flew backward into a half-melted metal table, which collapsed with a shriek, unable to bear his weight.

"Ow." _Okay, he's definitely got plenty of power left._ So why did Travis's blows feel so light?

"Luffy, this is no time to be napping!" Luffy rolled sideways at Ace's shout, clearing the remains of the table an instant before Travis's fist slammed into it.

"Our invisible spectator has a point," Travis said. "You're going to lose if you don't take me seriously."

"That's my line!" Luffy shot back. Travis's attacks wouldn't feel off if he were truly giving it his all, would they? He had to be holding back somehow.

"You think _I'm_ not taking this seriously?" Travis whipped a foot out in a kick, which Luffy barely caught on a forearm. "Have you already forgotten what's at stake for me? Don't you _dare_ suggest that I'm taking this lightly!" He landed a punch that sent Luffy skidding across the floor.

Luffy shook out his arms, which were tingling from the blow. "Then why don't your attacks hurt more?"

"I—what?"

"You're strong. But I could get punched by you a hundred times and still get back up. Because…" His eyes widened. "Because you're only attacking my body. It's like you don't want to win." There was something off in the emotions, he realized. Fights were supposed to be a battle of wills as much as fists, but these weren't the punches of someone fighting for their dream. Except that didn't make sense. As Travis had said, this was his chance to gain freedom for his sister; maybe even for himself. He had plenty at stake. So why…?

"Of course I want to win! What do you think I've been fighting for all this time?"

"This isn't the way you were going to do it though, is it?" Luffy raised his arm, shrugging off another punch. "You were going to beat him with the things you made."

"What does that matter? If you think I won't take this chance—"

"You're not really a fighter, are you?"

Travis faltered. Just for an instant, but it was enough for Luffy's fist to plow into his face. Travis's head snapped back, and he tumbled across the floor.

"You're only fighting because you have to." Luffy was sure he had it right, now. "The people I've fought before, they all had dreams, they all had something to achieve or protect, but most of them enjoyed the fighting, too. Whether they were pirates or marines, they chose the life they wanted. But you…" Luffy cocked his head at Travis. "If that guy hadn't made you do it, you'd never have learned to fight in the first place, would you?"

Travis's fists clenched. He made no move to rise. "Why would I have?" With his bowed head and heaving chest, he almost looked as if he were crying, but his voice was steady, if somewhat breathless. "'Pirate' or 'soldier' was never in my list of career plans. An engineer doesn't need to know how to fight."

"You don't like fighting?"

Travis snorted. "I'm no pacifist."

"But your heart isn't in it. You're like someone who enters a tournament for the prize but doesn't enjoy the competition."

"So what?" Travis got to his feet, glaring at Luffy. "Am I offending your pirate honor by caring more about the goal than the journey?"

"No." It wasn't how Luffy did things, but Travis was trying to protect what was important to him in his own way, and that was something Luffy could understand. "But you won't beat me like that."

"I already did beat you, in case you've forgotten." Travis's eyes narrowed. "And you're not the first person who's lost to me even though 'their heart was in it'."

_Only because I was surprised about my fruit,_ Luffy could have said. Or, _I wasn't fighting for my friends then._ But they sounded like weak excuses, and it didn't matter now. He would answer another way.

Running forward, he released a torrent of flames with his left hand. As he'd hoped, Travis leaped sideways to avoid them, putting him nicely in range of the right fist Luffy swung at him. He blocked, but winced from the force of the strike. Luffy didn't hesitate, bringing his left fist around again. Travis's Haki-covered fist met his, and soon they were back to trading blows.

Either the heat or their conversation had taken a toll, however, because Travis's attacks weren't slipping through Luffy's guard nearly so often anymore. The ones that did land barely hurt, while each successful attack of Luffy's forced Travis back another step.

"Damn it!" Travis jumped back and darted to the side, one leg stretching into a sweeping kick.

_Too high to jump. Too low to duck under._ Luffy let the kick come, and seized the leg as it hit him. He held on tight as the impact drove him sideways, and Travis was dragged along like a pull toy. Luffy hauled on the leg. Travis resisted for an instant before his body's elasticity took over, snapping him forward to crash into a pile of half-melted rubble.

Luffy winced at the scream that followed. He yanked on the leg, and Travis shot back toward him like a yo-yo. Luffy's fist met Travis's face, and the blond dropped to the floor. Luffy let go. Travis didn't get up again, and after a moment Luffy nudged him with a foot, rolling him onto his side.

Travis's back and shoulders were dotted with burns, and there was little left of his jacket now. Beneath the charred remains of the fabric, Luffy could see the edges of a hole in the left side of his chest.

He leaned closer. A hand shot up and grabbed his cardigan, yanking him downward. Luffy squawked and flailed, trying to keep his balance. He pushed at the hand, but Travis clung tightly, glaring up at Luffy through tired green eyes.

"If you lose to Sven, I'll never forgive you."

Luffy smiled. "You don't have to worry about that," he said. "Zoro's probably already won by now." He'd have liked to fight Sven, but with only two real opponents on the island, it wouldn't be fair to take them both himself.

Travis nodded, fingers beginning to loosen. "Then—" His grip tightened again. "Wait. He doesn't know." Travis was struggling now, hauling on Luffy's cardigan as he attempted to get his feet under him.

"Doesn't know what?"

"About Maya! About her— During the fight, if he—if he damaged—"

"He saw the heart. He wouldn't hurt it."

"He wouldn't know where Sven was keeping it! All it would take is one slash in the wrong spot, and—" Travis began staggering across the burning floor to the door.

A moment's consideration, and Luffy was jogging across the room. As he passed Travis, he ducked down and lifted, throwing the other boy over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

Travis yelped in pain. "What the hell are you doing? Put me down!"

"Nope."

"I'm not planning to attack him, I just need—"

"I know. You want to talk to Zoro. I do, too." There was no question that Zoro had won, but he'd been acting oddly, and Luffy wanted to be sure nothing was wrong. "So we're both going to the same place."

"I can walk on my own!" The feeble kick that thumped against Luffy's ribs did little to back up the statement.

"This is faster." Luffy hopped over the shattered flower vase in the hall and pounded the elevator button. "What's more important, your sister or your pride?"

Travis stopped struggling, allowing Luffy to carry him into the elevator. "I really hate you."

"That's okay." Luffy pushed several of the higher buttons. He wasn't sure which floor Zoro was on, only that he was above them. He'd just have to try them all. "Some of my best friends didn't like me at first, either."

Travis sputtered.

 

* * *

 

"Sanji-kun!" Nami rushed forward.

Chopper was torn. Sanji needed his help. But Zoro needed help, too. Chopper understood better than anyone what it was like to have no control, to lose yourself so thoroughly you didn't even recognize your friends. Zoro wouldn't want this. There had to be something he could do.

Zoro had turned back to Sven. "Stop it!" Chopper screamed again. "Zoro, stop! You don't have to kill him!" He launched himself at the ghost. It was foolish, he knew. Sanji was stronger than he was, and Zoro had countered him with no more effort than it took to move a finger. But somehow, maybe because he was too focused on Sven, maybe because Chopper wasn't trying to attack, Zoro didn't react in time. Chopper landed on Zoro's back and clung tight, hugging his neck.

" _Please_." Zoro's hand was touching Sven, tendrils of energy floating up from the scientist's skin and sinking into the translucent fingers. Chopper squeezed tighter as Zoro's body vibrated with a growl. "I d-don't know what he did to you, but you don't need to hurt him anymore!" He choked back a sob.

Zoro reared back, trying to throw Chopper off. He snarled again. It sounded garbled, and Chopper strained his ears, hoping to find words buried somewhere inside. "Zoro, stop!"

 

* * *

 

" _Mine!"_ _It's mine, it's mine, it hurt what's mine!_ He tore away a few more threads of the Threat's life. It didn't have much left now. Taking its leg had weakened it more than he'd thought.

The small furry thing still clung to him. _Enemy?_ It wasn't human. He'd sensed no violent intent when it had grabbed him. But it was loud, and its presence was distracting. He ripped the creature from him with a thought, sending it tumbling across the floor. But no sooner had he returned to the Threat then it was back again, hard little hooves digging into his shoulders. Its noise continued unabated. Why was it so loud? He wanted it to stop. He slammed his back against the wall, then again, harder, when it refused to let go. It cried out, and something in him flinched. _Wrong._ It shouldn't be making that sound. _Protect._ He had to protect what was his. The furry creature…was his? _Protect. Destroy the Threat._ But the one who had hurt it was…

 

* * *

 

Zoro suddenly stiffened beneath him. Chopper took the opportunity to reinforce his hold. He felt a bit like a reindeer pancake, and there had been a sharp spike in pain after that last impact with the wall that spoke to something more serious than bruising. Not that it mattered. Even if he broke every bone in his body, he wasn't letting go until Zoro was back to his old self.

"Please, Zoro. You did it. It's okay now, Zoro. Please stop."

"… _Hurt?"_ Zoro's voice was raspy and barely recognizable as his. " _I…hurt…? But…_ " He started shaking. " _Protect. I have to protect. But I…_ "

"You did!" Chopper gave Zoro's neck the best hug he could. "I know that whatever happened, you were trying your best to protect us, Zoro. And we're fine. Everyone's fine!" He hoped he hadn't just told a lie. But Luffy had to be okay. If Zoro was talking about protecting rather than revenge, that meant Sven hadn't killed anyone, right? And the rest of them, if not totally _fine_ —there was blood in Sanji's blond hair, and judging by the way he was holding his side he had a couple cracked ribs—were at least in no danger of death or permanent injury. Even if it was a lie, though, right now Zoro needed to believe it was the truth. "We're fine, Zoro. You can stop now."

The wind died away. There was a long moment where he hardly dared to breathe. Everything was still except for Zoro trembling beneath him. Then–

"… _Chopper?_ "

Chopper sagged in relief at the whispered word. And then he really was falling. A brief flash of coolness as he passed through Zoro's suddenly intangible body, followed by a painful landing on the floor. A metallic ringing indicated the two swords Zoro had still been holding had met a similar fate.

He looked up to see Zoro staggering backward, one wide, horrified eye flicking from Chopper to the bloody mess that was Sven. All traces of red had disappeared, and Chopper gave him a tentative smile.

"It's good to see you, Zoro."

 

* * *

 

_What happened?_ He couldn't seem to look away from the blood. It was everywhere, filling his vision no matter which way he turned. And the wounds it flowed from were clearly made by a sword. _His_ swords.

_What did I…do?_

"Zoro?"

He flinched and looked at Chopper. Tear tracks and streaks of red stained the brown fur, but none of the blood seemed to be coming from him, at least.

"What…what happened?" Chopper asked hesitantly.

_I don't know. I…_

"What did he do?"

Zoro's gaze flicked to Sven's still form again— _blood, so much blood_ —and he frowned. "He…" _I was stuck in that circle. Luffy…_ "Luffy, he…Ace…No, that's not—I don't—" Ace's presence wasn't important now—he could think about that later. Something had happened. He'd been released from the circle, and then…had he attacked Sven? He must have, but the memory was hazy and blurred with red, the details slipping away like water. And after that? "I don't—"

A scream. _Luffy's_ scream. Zoro's head snapped around, but no one else seemed to have heard anything. Chopper was bent over Sven, though his ears were swiveled in Zoro's direction. The others were inching closer, eyeing Zoro as if he were a bomb about to go off. What had he done to put those looks on their faces? He eyed the bloody stump of Sven's leg, the hand still impaled by one of his swords, the wide swathes of red covering the floor, and swallowed. _What happened to me?_

"He…attacked Luffy." He could remember that much, now. "Luffy…" He closed his eye, and saw flames. "Luffy ate the Mera-Mera no Mi. When that guy found out, he tried to…" Red swam at the edges of his mind. He shook his head and stared at the puddles of Sven's blood. He felt sick looking at them, but they kept him focused. He couldn't let whatever had just happened happen again. Next time, it could be one of his friends lying mutilated by his hand. _No! Never!_ The heart that didn't actually exist hammered in his ears. _I'd destroy myself first. I won't let them be hurt._

"He tried to kill Luffy." The words came more easily now. The memories themselves were still fuzzy, like a bad dream, but they were beginning to sort themselves into some semblance of order. "He…wanted to start over, make Luffy reincarnate again so he could give him the 'right' fruit. He hurt him, and I—" There had been a scream, and blood, and then—what? _What happened after that?_ "I was angry. I couldn't let him—" _I couldn't let him hurt Luffy,_ was what he wanted to say. But a voice in the back of his mind whispered, _I couldn't let him get away with touching what belongs to me._ He shook his head. _Luffy isn't property! He's my friend!_

_Protect,_ the voice whispered. _Destroy._ He stared at the blood and the limp form in front of him. He hoped he'd managed the first as well as he had the second. _What the hell is happening to me?_ "I…don't remember anything after that. Not until…" He stretched a hand toward Chopper, then pulled back. "I hurt you, didn't I?" he said quietly.

Chopper glanced up. "I'm okay. I don't think it's too serious."

_That doesn't make it all right._ "I'm sorry."

"You weren't yourself."

"That's no excuse!" He slammed a fist against his leg. Chopper flinched, and oh, Zoro would rather have taken a dozen silver bullets than be the cause of that fear in his friend. _I should be better than this by now! What was I_ doing _all those years if I can't even keep myself from hurting my friends?_

There was a wet, metallic scrape as Robin pulled the sword from Sven's hand at Chopper's direction. She cleaned the blade and sheathed it, but didn't offer it to Zoro. He felt an odd sense of mingled hurt and gratitude, along with a flash of anger, which he quickly punched down. _Can I blame them for being cautious?_

"Sanji-kun," he heard Nami say quietly. "Do you know…did that ghost book mention anything like this?"

Zoro froze.

"Not…really." He could hear the frown in Sanji's voice. "Any ghost has the potential to go…wrong, but it usually happens when their connections to the living world aren't strong enough. That's why it's mostly Type Threes who go bad, and almost unheard of for Type Twos. But if Zoro was still himself after all that time alone, it doesn't make sense that he'd be losing it now."

_No. That's not it._ Weak connections? Since getting his friends back, he'd felt more alive than he had in centuries. With them around, he was in no danger of losing touch with the human world.

_But what if that's the problem?_

"Anyway, we can theorize later. You okay for now, Marimo?"

Zoro looked up. Sanji's gaze was wary, but not hostile. "I…yeah. I think so." _I_ will _be. I_ have _to be._ The only other option was letting them leave without him, and that was unthinkable. He couldn't protect them if he wasn't there.

"Then I suggest we do our worrying elsewhere. Seems like we don't have any reason to stick around now, and I for one have had more than enough of the 'hospitality' here."

"Y-yeah." Usopp rubbed his arms. "Let's find Luffy and get out of here."

"How you doing there, Chopper?" Franky asked.

"I'm almost done." Chopper was tying a bandage around Sven's hand.

_Will he make it?_ Zoro didn't ask. He found he didn't care all that much. He was disturbed by the brutal way he'd attacked the man, bothered that he didn't remember doing it, but the thought of Sven dying caused no distress. Alive, the man was a threat to his friends, and he briefly considered finishing what he'd started—quickly and painlessly, this time. But that would waste Chopper's hard work. Better, as Usopp had said, to find Luffy and leave.

No sooner had he thought it then he heard a shout from the hall outside. Angry as it was, the voice brought a rush of relief. Luffy was alive and well enough to move around. He hadn't failed.

The blond shot through the open doorway first. Zoro almost didn't recognize him. His clothes were in tatters, his hair darkened by soot, and burns littered his body. His eyes were wild, and they swept the room frantically before landing on Sven. The color drained from his face. "No!"

"Hey!" Luffy hurtled into the room, nearly knocking Travis from his feet. "I said quit running! I told you I'd—Oh! Hey, guys!" He waved. His eyes met Zoro's, and a smile spread across his face. Zoro looked away. He didn't deserve that smile. Not right now.

Travis dashed across the room and thumped to his knees in front of Sven. He shoved Chopper aside without a glance. "Please," Zoro heard him mutter. "Please, please, please…" He plunged his hands into the torn remains of Sven's coat and dug frantically.

Zoro pulled Chopper to his feet, fighting down a surge of anger. _Stop._ The shove hadn't been an attack. _Stay calm._

"Thanks, Zoro." Chopper seemed unfazed, and within seconds was bullying Sanji into one of the few unbroken chairs to have his injuries treated.

Zoro watched, frowning. Had Sanji been that badly injured when they'd been captured by Sven? He couldn't recall clearly— _damn these fuzzy memories!_ —but he didn't think so. All of the others were in much better shape, and while he knew the cook would willingly jump into a fight to protect the rest of the crew, that didn't mean the others would let him fight alone. And if he hadn't been injured during the robot fight… None of Sanji's wounds looked like they'd been made by a sword, but a sick feeling in Zoro's gut told him that he was the cause.

"Hey," Luffy tried again. The smile had gone from his voice, and Zoro didn't want to see the expression that had replaced it any more than he'd wanted to see the smile. "Guys, what happ—"

A wavering cry from Travis interrupted him. The blond was cradling something in his hands. His shoulders were shaking. The object pulsed, and Zoro realized what he was looking at. A heart.

Luffy was picking his way across the bloody floor. "Is it okay?"

Travis nodded wordlessly, one hand clutching the heart to his chest.

"That's good." Luffy stared at Sven's limp form. Then he looked at Zoro.

_Later,_ Zoro tried to tell him without speaking. _Please._ He needed time, and this wasn't a conversation to have around non-crewmembers. Luffy nodded slightly, and turned away. Zoro didn't allow himself to relax.

"What are you doing?" Chopper shrieked. Zoro and Luffy both turned to him, then followed his gaze to Travis.

Travis was still sitting on the floor. One hand cupped the heart. The other was reaching out to Sven. Slowly, his fingers closed around Sven's throat.

"Stop!" Chopper dropped the bandage he'd been holding. "He's barely holding on—you'll kill him!"

"You say that like you expect me to care." Travis voice was hoarse. "He _should_ die. He killed—" But apparently Travis wasn't ready to elaborate. "He's as bad as the worst kind of pirate. And I'm tired of being his pawn."

"What will happen to the heart if he dies?" Robin asked.

Travis's fingers, which had begun to tighten, went still.

"It's yours? Or that of someone important to you," she amended at Travis's reaction. "Perhaps it will be fine, and can be safely returned to the owner regardless. Or perhaps the power of the Ope-Ope no Mi will fade with its user, and you'll be left holding a simple heart. Outside of a body, it won't last long. Are you willing to take that risk?"

A long, shuddering breath, and Travis's hand reluctantly drew back. "Damn it!" His fingers closed into a fist, and a second later there was a new crater in the wall. "You got lucky again, you damn bastard. But this is the last time. I'm not bowing to your wishes anymore." He stood.

"You should let Chopper fix you up," Luffy offered. "I don't think Maya would be happy if you showed up looking like that."

Travis's shoulders tightened and he tugged at the remains of his jacket. "You think I don't know how to treat my own injuries?"

Luffy shrugged. "Chopper's better." He paused. "If you need help—"

"You've done enough!" Travis snapped. Then he grimaced and some of the stiffness went out of his posture. "More than I…would ever have expected. But I should at least finish things myself."

"Will you be able to make the switch without him?" Robin gestured at Sven.

"Guess I'll find out." Travis reached down and seized the front of Sven's clothes. "I don't want her anywhere near him unless there's no other choice." Chopper squawked a protest again, and Travis rolled his eyes. "I won't kill him. I'm just going to make sure he doesn't go running off if it turns out I _do_ need him." He dragged Sven toward the door.

"I don't think he'll be _running_ anywhere," Usopp muttered.

Zoro frowned. _No,_ he thought, looking at what was left of Sven's leg, _I don't suppose he will._

Chopper gave a quick glance at the others, then trotted after Travis.

Travis eyed him. "Look, I get that you don't trust me. I don't care. What I don't get is why _you_ care. What's it to you if he dies?"

"I treated him." Chopper's small voice sounded loud in the quiet room. "I accepted him as a patient, so as a doctor, I have to make sure he gets proper care, no matter what I think of him." He transformed into Heavy Point. Zoro tried to ignore the way Chopper winced as he bent down to lift Sven from the floor. "Where are you taking him?"

Travis stared at Chopper for a moment, then blew out a breath and turned for the door. "Fine, whatever. I'm taking him downstairs. There's a seastone cell that should hold him." He glanced at Luffy. "A secure one."

"Wait," Nami called after him. "Are you going to try to stop us from leaving?"

Zoro heard Usopp mumble something that sounded like "don't give him any ideas".

"Why should I?" Travis shot back. "I've got what I was after. As for Straw Hat, I never had any plans beyond giving him a good punch and explaining exactly how he ruined my life. Didn't expect to need them. So, mission accomplished. I'd be thrilled if I never saw any of you again."

"Great," Usopp muttered. "Now he's said _that_ , we'll definitely run into him again."

"You're okay with letting him leave?" Zoro asked Luffy. Travis had gotten in far more than "one good punch", and Zoro hadn't forgotten the look in his eyes when he'd been talking about Luffy on the plane. Something deep and angry flickered inside Zoro, urging him not to let a potential threat walk away.

But Luffy nodded. "We're done. He's got better things to do than throw himself into meaningless fights, and so do we."

"Like what?" Franky asked. "The great fruit quest is over, so what do we do now?"

Luffy grinned. "Anything we want."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're basically at the end now, but I hate not having any kind of wrap-up/falling action afterward, so there'll be one more chapter to finish things off. If there are any scenes in particular you want to see, feel free to mention them. I'm not promising I'll write every request if it's not something I've covered with what I already have, but I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything really important in my excitement over finally finishing. XD (And there are always bonus scenes for anything I'd like to write but don't want to hold up the chapter for. c: )
> 
> (Btw, don't expect Zoro to be summoning wind anytime he wants, now. He wasn't exactly himself, doesn't remember doing it, and no one's realized yet exactly what it was he was doing.)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	25. Pieces of a Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the last chapter, wow. I've been working on this fic for a little over four years…it's going to be strange not to have any new chapters waiting in the wings. Thanks so much to everyone who's given me and this story support over the years. It definitely wouldn't have been finished without you.
> 
> There's some semi-important stuff in the end notes (including a link to a scene that I ultimately decided not to add to this chapter), so please read those if you have time. c:
> 
> Beta'd by sircerenade.

Luffy's reaction wasn't what Zoro had expected.

"I'm sorry!"

Zoro couldn't help glancing around to see if one of the others had followed them. He wasn't aware Luffy had done anything he needed to apologize to _anyone_ for, but that made more sense than the idea that Luffy was talking to _him_. "Don't you think that should be my line, Captain?"

Luffy shook his head. "You did something that wasn't like you, and you're upset about it. But you only got all weird after I got hurt, and I only got hurt because I was careless. Sorry, Zoro."

Zoro gaped at him. Was Luffy seriously trying to— "It's not that simple." He looked away. "This is my problem. You can't just take responsibility and make it okay."

"It won't make it okay," Luffy agreed. "But I can help. And it _is_ my responsibility, idiot. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Of course we are, but—"

"And I'm your captain, too. I think you forget that, sometimes."

"I could _never_ forget that, Luffy. After all the time I spent waiting for you—"

"That's exactly why!" Luffy was angry now, and Zoro had _expected_ anger, but this wasn't the sort of anger he had anticipated, wasn't what he'd expected Luffy to be angry about. "You spent all that time waiting, and I _know_ you're older than any of us now, you've seen more than any of us, but that doesn't mean you always know better. It doesn't mean you have to protect us from the world like we're a bunch of helpless baby chicks!"

"I don't think you're helpless!" Zoro protested. "But you don't—if anything happened to you, to any of you, I—" Just the thought brought faint flickers of red to the edges of his vision. He shook his head, forcing them away. "And something nearly did. _Because of me_. Chopper, the shitty cook—I could have killed them, Luffy. I could have killed all of them. I didn't even know who I was attacking until Chopper was screaming. I—maybe—"

_Maybe it would be better if you left without me._ The words stuck in his throat. He _couldn't_ say them, because what if Luffy agreed? What if they really left him here? That would kill him, more surely than mere death ever could. He'd been able to handle being alone before because he knew he'd see his friends again someday. Without that to anchor him, it would only be a matter of time until he either destroyed himself or lost "Roronoa Zoro" completely and became one of the bad ghosts Sanji had talked about.

For the first time, he wondered if it was too late, if he'd already lost too much of himself for things to work out in the long run, because he knew there'd been a time when he would have willingly sacrificed his life and happiness to keep his friends safe. He still would, if it were something as simple as stepping in front of an attack or offering himself up to an enemy—but letting his friends sail away without him, embracing loneliness again to keep them safe from _himself_? He wasn't strong enough for that. Not now. Not while he could at least try to hope that there was another option.

"Did you know that was going to happen?" Luffy asked.

"Of course I didn't!" Was that really true, though? "Not—not something like this. But…looking back on it, I can't say I didn't have any warning." Today was hardly the first time he'd seen red, after all. He just hadn't known what it meant, hadn't known it could put his friends in danger.

"But you didn't say anything." Luffy was still scowling at him. "That's what I'm talking about! You decided we didn't need to know, that you'd take care of it on your own."

"It's my responsibility to stay in control, no matter the circumstances."

Luffy took a swing at him. Zoro had remained intangible since coming back to himself, so the fist passed through him harmlessly, but surprise forced him back a step.

"Stop underestimating us, idiot!"

"Luffy—"

"You're not alone anymore! You've been helping us all this time…you waited for so long, and then you kept us safe until we could get strong again. You've done so much, and now _you_ need help but you're still trying to handle it all yourself! We're not as weak as you think we are. Why don't you rely on us a little more?"

"I _do_ rely on you. That's why I want to keep you all safe, whatever it takes."

"That's not what I mean. You have to let us do things, too."

"I know that. And I'm trying. Do you know how hard it was to let you come here at all, knowing we were walking into a trap? It would have been so easy to go ahead of you, to take care of everything myself, so that all you had to do was walk in and eat a fruit." He knew Luffy hadn't missed his implication: neither Travis nor Sven would have survived the day if the others hadn't been there to stop him.

"Luffy, I don't know if I'll ever be able to step back and leave things to you the way I used to. I've been through too much to risk losing any of you. And I _am_ the strongest on this crew, even now. Maybe I always will be, maybe you'll surpass me someday. You're good at surprises like that. Until that day comes, though, you're going to have to put up with being protected from time to time." He took a deep breath. Funny how the motion was still so natural, though it had been centuries since he'd breathed for real. "But…I'll try to find a balance. I'll try to listen when you tell me I'm going too far."

The grin he got wasn't as bright as Luffy's grins usually were, but it was warm and sincere. "Then let's both promise to do better from now on, okay, Zoro?"

He shot Luffy a tentative smile. "All right. I'm counting on you, Captain."

"Good! We'll figure it out, okay?" Luffy attempted to give Zoro a friendly slap on the shoulder, but again, his hand sailed straight through. He pouted. "That doesn't work as well when I have to ask you to get solid first."

Zoro mustered up an amused snort. "It's funnier, though." He looked down and noticed that he was standing halfway in a tree. He sighed and stepped forward. Sometimes he wished it was easier to feel when something was passing through him; it was embarrassing when he didn't notice right away.

"Okay!" Luffy spun to face the narrow gap between trees that would take them back to the path, and Sunny, and the others. "Come on. Time to celebrate!"

Whatever was going on with him, it wasn't something that could be solved overnight, but Zoro was willing to put in the work. He would win in the end. Anything else was unacceptable.

He refused to give up his friends.

 

* * *

 

"I still can't believe you didn't just tell me," Luffy grumbled to his brother. He reached out to poke the campfire with a stick. They had debated setting sail immediately, even in the dark, but they didn't know how to get Sunny down from the high cliffs. There was only one person they could ask about that, and he and Travis had both had enough of each other for one day.

"Where's the fun in spoiling it all at the beginning?" Ace grinned at him. "It's not my fault you took so long to pick up on my hints."

"They weren't very good hints."

Ace shot him a look of mock outrage. "I'll have you know I put a lot of thought into them." Then his face grew serious. "The truth is, I didn't tell you because I _couldn't_."

"Why not?" Chopper's eyes were wide as he stared at Ace. He wasn't alone. Most of the crew had found it difficult to look away since the sun had set and Ace had become visible to all.

"It would've been hard even under normal circumstances," Ace said. "Finding out you're sharing your body, or soul, or whatever, with someone else can be a pretty big shock. The reason most ghosts try to communicate through symbols and scents and that sort of thing is because anything too direct and the host's mind will block it out to protect itself."

"Under normal circumstances?" Robin prompted.

"Right. Luffy and I are a bit different."

"Different how?" Luffy asked.

"Haven't you wondered? The connection between us should have ended when you died the first time, Luffy. But I'm still here."

Luffy blinked. He _had_ wondered. He didn't care much in the end—Ace was there; _how_ was unimportant—but there had been a flicker of curiosity all the same. "How?"

"I made a deal," Ace said.

"With who?" Zoro asked.

"Can't say." Zoro opened his mouth again and Ace shook his head. "Nope, not even to you. You may be a ghost, but you never left the human world, so you don't get to know anything about After. And the rest of you living folk are definitely out." He tipped his hat to the rest of the crew. "All I can say is that I made a deal to stick with Luffy, because like hell was I leaving my little brother alone in another world. And one of the conditions of that deal was that I literally couldn't have told him, even if I'd wanted to try to force it. Either he'd figure it out himself, or I'd be a half-asleep passenger until he passed on after coming back to this world."

"That's not fair," Luffy said.

"Don't complain. You got there in the end, and now we can talk whenever we want." Ace poked Luffy's cheek.

"Ow!" Luffy slapped his hand away and rubbed at the bandage covering his cut.

"Stop touching it!" Chopper told him. "It's not going to heal if you keep doing that."

Luffy grumbled—it didn't hurt much, pokes from stupid brothers aside, but it _itched_.

"I can't believe you managed to get cut in the same place you had that scar before," Nami said. "Are you sure you didn't do it on purpose?"

"Of course I didn't!" Luffy said. It was mostly true: it wasn't like he'd _wanted_ to be hurt, he just hadn't wanted to take the time to break the bars further—if he could even have managed it, given his condition at the time—and with the space he'd had to work with, it would have been almost impossible to avoid his face getting cut _somewhere_. On the other hand, he probably could have moved his head enough to make the bar cut somewhere other than that particular spot on his left cheek, if he'd really wanted to avoid it.

"It's not going to look exactly the same as the old scar," Chopper said. "A broken piece of metal doesn't make as neat a cut as a knife, and the wound isn't as centered under the eye."

"Still, it's pretty damn close," Sanji said.

"I like it," Zoro said.

"You would." Nami made a face at him.

Robin turned back to Ace. "So, I take it you're the reason Zoro wasn't able to possess Luffy before."

"Yep. There's a strict one-ghost limit per person. Sorry for the trouble."

"That…makes sense." Zoro shot Sanji a swift look. "I assumed it was something to do with me."

Sanji had gone still, and Luffy had a feeling he'd missed something. "Like what?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Nami said briskly. "Zoro wasn't the problem, mystery solved, let's move on."

Now Luffy was sure he was missing something. Nami and Sanji seemed to know whatever it was, so at least this wasn't something else Zoro was shouldering all by himself. Still, he didn't like being left out, especially after his and Zoro's recent conversation. He tossed another log on the fire with more force than strictly necessary.

"So you really don't mind that Luffy-san ate your fruit, Ace-san?" Brook asked.

Ace shook his head. "I'm the one who suggested it. Not like I could eat it myself." He winked at Luffy. "Besides, I was listening during your little ghost lessons."

"You were?" Why hadn't he noticed? Luffy felt annoyed with himself all over again for taking so long to figure things out.

"I was." Ace grinned and lifted a hand to point at the fire. Luffy felt a cold prickle along his limbs, and Ace's hand flared, a stream of flames shooting out to engulf the fresh log Luffy had added.

Luffy gaped at him. "How did you do that?"

Ace bopped him on the head. "Looks like you're the one who needed to pay more attention. She mentioned it, remember?" He nodded at Robin. "I can touch things by using your energy, and now that you have a devil fruit, I can use that the same way."

"Oh." He did sort of remember now. At the time, he'd been focused on the parts related to Zoro, and most of what they'd been told about the other ghost types had sort of faded into the background. He grinned. Even with Ace offering, he'd felt bad for taking the Mera-Mera away from his brother. Now it turned out he'd been giving it to him after all, in probably the only he could have, with Ace a ghost.

_What about Sabo?_ a voice in the back of his mind asked.

_Sabo's not here, and I couldn't give it to both of them, anyway,_ he told himself. And if they did meet him someday, he was sure Sabo would understand.

"You mean you knew what was happening, even before you woke up?" Chopper asked.

"Sometimes," Ace said. "Especially if Luffy was really focused on something, or feeling a lot of emotion. I could only see and hear what he did, though. It was kinda like having a visual den den mushi with a bad connection. But now I can look around for myself." He peered over Luffy's head. Luffy turned, but there was nothing there. Ace laughed.

"Why didn't you tell us about the dreams, Luffy?" Sanji asked. "You knew they weren't normal. We could have figured all this out a long time ago."

Luffy frowned. "I dunno. I just didn't." The dreams had felt private, like they would disappear forever if he shared the secret. It was a silly fear, but he hadn't known then what he knew now, and he hadn't been willing to risk those precious meetings with Ace.

Nami yawned. "Speaking of dreams, I think it's about time we got some sleep. I want to get out of here as soon as possible in the morning."

Sleep? How could he possibly sleep after everything that had happened today? With a new devil fruit to practice with? With Ace _right here_ and _not disappearing_? (Could they still talk in dreams? He'd have to find out, but not now, because of the whole needing-to-be-asleep-to-dream thing.)

His protests lasted until his head hit the pillow, at which point his body, in direct opposition to his wishes, relaxed instantly and dragged his eyelids shut.

 

* * *

 

"That didn't take long." Zoro grinned fondly at the softly snoring bundle of Luffy.

"He's had a long day," Ace whispered.

The two ghosts were the only ones still visibly awake, though Zoro was certain that not everyone had fallen asleep as quickly as Luffy had.

He grunted in agreement. "Even longer than the rest of us, which is saying something."

Ace glanced at him. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure you don't want to have a little ghost-to-ghost talk about it?"

Zoro snorted. "No thanks, I'm good." He wasn't fool enough to believe the matter settled, but for now, he'd rather focus on the present. "You going to dream with him?" He nodded at Luffy. "You can still do that, can't you?"

"I can, but tonight I think I'll be more useful out here, keeping watch so he can rest worry-free."

"You say that like I can't handle the watch by myself."

Ace held up his hands. "Didn't mean to imply that. Just, y'know, with two of us we can relax a little. Chat. Get to know each other a bit more. Compare our powers." He grinned. "A good old-fashioned ghosty slumber party."

"What the hell."

"You'd rather sit there and brood all night? I think you look grumpy enough already."

"I do _not_ look—"

Ace held a finger to his lips. "Shh, we don't want to wake the kids."

Zoro lowered his voice. "We basically won. The devil fruit quest is finished, if not exactly the way we expected. Everyone's still here. I've got no reason to be grumpy."

"That doesn't look like a smile on your face."

"I—Look, like you said, it's been a long day. I may not be able to sleep, but I'm still tired."

Ace studied him for a moment. "All the more reason why you should think about other things for one night." He leaned forward. "So, how about it? Want to see which of us can keep a rock floating the longest?"

Well, it wasn't like spending a few more hours lost in thought would help much at this point. "You'd better not cheat and pick a small one."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

 

* * *

 

It took Luffy an annoyingly long time to track Travis down the next morning. He'd thought he'd seen the majority of the mansion the day before, but it soon became clear that they'd barely scratched the surface of the underground areas. Even with Ace helping him look, it was well over an hour before he stumbled into a wide cave that had been outfitted as a hangar and found Travis bent over the cockpit of a small plane.

Waving Ace back, Luffy strolled in alone. His foot scuffed against the floor and Travis jerked up like a puppet on strings. He whirled around with his hands already raising into a defensive position, one clutching a wrench. When he saw Luffy, some of the tension bled out of him, though he didn't lower his hands and his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Why are you still here? I can't imagine you want to see me any more than I want to see you."

"We _would_ have left already," Luffy said, "if you'd told us how to get Sunny down that stupid cliff."

The remains of Travis's fighting stance crumbled, his hands dropped to his sides as he straightened. "Oh. I didn't—" Then his brow furrowed. "Couldn't you use a Coup de Burst for that?"

Luffy blinked. "You know about the Coup de Burst?"

Travis scowled. "Weren't you listening yesterday? I grew up learning every last piece of information about you that's available in this time. Of course I know."

Luffy scratched his head and laughed sheepishly. "Guess I forgot."

"Nice to know it was so memorable for you." Travis folded his arms. "So? Why don't you use it?"

"We're kinda low on cola." Luffy rubbed his nose. The others had thought there was a good chance cola would be available here, given Sven's obsession with them, but they would still have had to ask Travis where to find it. Since Luffy had to talk to him either way, he'd rather try out something new. "And I wanna see how people usually get down. Do you have octopus balloons?"

Travis scoffed. "No, though not for lack of trying. The edge of the cliff is too high above the lake. A balloon big enough to lift a ship over it wouldn't come down for hours. It's not practical. Not that the replica stream is, either, but at least it's faster."

"So how, then?"

A sigh. "There's a waterslide. Continue past the docks and you'll trigger it automatically."

"Awesome!" He grinned widely. "I can't wait to try it!"

A pink flush crept onto Travis's cheeks. "Sheesh. You really are childish."

Luffy studied him for a moment. "You built it, didn't you?"

"Not because I wanted to!" Travis turned away and bent over the plane again. "The old man's the one who turned this place into a Straw Hat amusement park. I'm just better with machines than he is, so every time he got stuck with something I got pressed into service."

Luffy came closer and leaned against the platform ladder. "It's okay if you liked making it, even if it wasn't what you wanted to make."

There was water dripping somewhere in the cave. Luffy hadn't noticed it before, but now it stood out clearly in the sudden silence from the plane's cockpit.

"Damn it." The wrench thumped against the side of the cockpit. "I think I preferred it when you were just a name in a history book I could hate in peace."

"I never wanted to be famous," Luffy said. "Not really. I liked getting stronger and seeing my bounty go up, and it was fun meeting so many different people, but I never wanted to be pirate king to tell people what to do, or—or be _worship_ _p_ _ed_ or anything. I just wanted to be free. I wanted to be able to go anywhere without someone telling me I couldn't. I wanted to make friends and have adventures."

Travis bent back to his work, and for over a minute the only sound was the clink of metal as something inside the plane was tightened (or maybe loosened; Luffy wasn't an expert in metal-part-noises).

"I guess we do have one thing in common, then." Travis shot an arm past Luffy to grab a blowtorch resting on a nearby table. "Wanting to be free, I mean."

"You don't have to just want it anymore. You can have it."

"Freedom?" Travis ignited the blowtorch, its hiss almost covering his snort. "Don't think it'll be as simple as that. I'll probably be running for a long time, even in the best-case scenario."

"Freedom is what you decide it is," Luffy said. "There were people after me most of the time, but that doesn't mean I wasn't free."

"I didn't say it wasn't an improvement." The torch clicked off. "But unlike you, a life of traveling was never one of my dreams."

"But being with your sister is, right? You can figure the rest out later."

Travis had picked up the wrench again. He gestured with it, still not looking at Luffy. "Go away already."

Luffy chuckled. "Say hi to Maya for me."

"Why should I?"

"Because she's my friend."

"You were only there for a few hours."

"So? There's no time limit on how long it takes to make a friend." Luffy skipped back from the ladder. "See you later!"

Travis turned. "Hell no. I've had more than enough of you for one lifetime." His mouth twisted in a wry smile. "More than one, even."

Luffy trotted backward toward the entrance, waving. "I don't think it'll work out like that. When I fight someone, I usually end up meeting them again later. Sometimes they even turn out to be friends."

"Don't count on it!"

The words didn't sound nearly as cold as Travis had probably intended them to be.

 

* * *

 

The water churned beneath them. The ground rumbled as the shore ahead of them split apart and lifted, revealing a dark opening. Luffy got a firmer grip on Sunny's lion head.

"Are you sure about this?" Usopp clung to the rail behind him, staring apprehensively at the widening hole. "I don't think that's big enough. The mast is definitely going to hit something. It'll break, and spin us off course, and we'll crash into the rock, and—"

"How about you leave the graphic depictions of doom to Robin?" Nami wasn't shaking the way Usopp was, but she was eyeing the forming waterslide as if she'd decided using up the rest of their cola might not have been such a bad idea after all.

"It'll be fine." Franky's tone didn't quite match his confident words, but he made no move to turn the ship around. "I'm sure they've had ships bigger than Sunny using this thing."

The deck began to tilt forward.

"Don't want to miss the view, huh?" Zoro was floating cross-legged to Luffy's left, not holding on to anything. _Show-off._

Luffy grinned at him. "No way."

"I don't know if you'll be able to see much," Ace said from his right. "It looks pretty dark in there."

Luffy grinned. "That's what you guys are for!"

"Luffy, I'm not a nightlight," Zoro grumbled.

"Good, because it's not night!"

"That's not what I—"

"Everyone hold on!" Nami yelled.

They picked up speed quickly, and within seconds Luffy felt like he was flying. There turned out to be lights spaced at regular intervals along the tunnel, but they flashed past so fast that Luffy saw very little besides blurry rock walls.

"Exit ahead!" The words had barely left Robin's mouth before they reached it, leaving the darkness behind and shooting out over the open sea.

"Yahoo!" Luffy punched the air with both fists. He wasn't worried about falling. As long as he didn't hit the water, he could just turn himself into fire to get back on board. Even if he did fall in, though, he knew he wouldn't have to wait long for a rescue. He was surrounded by his friends, after all.

And there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end (mostly) (for now). Apologies if I didn't cover everything you wanted to see here!
> 
> What's next for me: I have a lot of other story ideas I've been holding off on while I focused on finishing FMaA, and I want to try writing some of them next. I've already started one, actually (I'm pretty excited about it), but I want to see if I can get most or all of it written before I start posting, so it may be a while before you see anything.
> 
> I do have some plans for a sequel to FMaA. They're fairly loose plans at the moment, but I'd like to come back to them someday—assuming anyone would be interested in more of this series. I actually have a scene written that was meant to go at the end of this chapter to connect them, but I decided it would be too mean to put it in the fic directly and leave you all with a cliffhanger when it could be a long time before this potential sequel happens, if it happens at all. For anyone who doesn't mind that and would like a teaser, you can read it [right over here](http://azuregold.tumblr.com/post/169770551797).
> 
> I think that's basically it! Thanks so much for sticking with me till the end (or if you're seeing this because you peeked at the last chapter before starting, hi and thanks for considering giving this fic a chance :P ). All feedback is welcome as long as it's polite, but if reading silently is more your thing, that's fine, too (I know the feeling, trust me ^^; ).
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed your time here, and I hope I'll see at least some of you in the future once I have something new to post.
> 
> Thanks so much!


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